Eternity
by A.M.C. Theaters
Summary: MUST READ "THERE'S ALWAYS A TOMORROW" BEFORE READING! Eternity is a series of short, random, often cute moments between Vlad and Mina. We go in depth into every moment from another angle. Vlad's POV and Mina's POV. Any requests I'll be glad to write them!
1. Chapter 1

_Hey everyone! Since I got many hits on "There's Always A Tomorrow" I figured I should post this up too. Eternity is a mixture of random moment between Vlad and Mina as said in the summery. Some are cute, others are random, and others are just good. Some are new moments you will not remember from the story because they were never mentioned. This one, for instance, is mentions by Mina on her last day of school. But not in depth._

_These short drabbles go back and forth from Vlad to Mina's point of view. And also you may remember some moments yet we visit them here with more depth and meaning. This is because "Eternity" is all as if they are remembering it all and telling you about it without holding back. Bare and open. Fun, fun, huh?_

_Well I will stop talking just for you to read this alright? Here you all are, and I better get reviews for this!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vladimir Tod, Night of the Living Dead, Dracula, Twilight, The Birds, or Somewhere Over the Rainbow. They are all owned by their respected owners. I do own There's Always A Tomorrow, Mina Elizabeth Lovett, and all her actions and thoughts._

_Enjoy!_

_**Over The Rainbow**_

"Eh Mina?" I turned around and smiled at Henry.

"Yeah?"

"Vlad's coming over and he is bringing a bunch of movies. You know what that means? Movie Marathon! Are you in?" He grinned his usual grin. I smiled wider and jumped up.

"Hell yeah! Where and when?"

"Tonight, Vlad's on his way. And we are going to be using sleeping bags in the game room. You can too, unless you want to come back up here after. It's your choice. But he's spending the night."

"I'll stay down there too I guess." I started to get my stuff ready as Henry walked out of my room. I stopped at the window and saw Vlad walking up the porch. I smiled and went to my mirror. I made sure I looked okay and hurried down the stairs. Henry was already opening the door for Vlad to come in.

"Hey Henry, what's up Mina?" I blushed and slowly started to sidewalk into the game room.

"Oh, I'm just fine. I mean good. I am good! Are you good? I'm good." I blabbed and then hurried into the room. I slapped my forehead with my right hand. "Idiot."

I started to move all of the random junk away from the middle of the room and TV. Soon both boys come in and sit down. Vlad started to spread out and list the movies that he brought.

"Alright I got these movies. Night of the Living Dead, Dracula, Twilight, and The Birds." Vlad told us.

After making popcorn, and getting soda and setting up all of our sleeping bags, pillows and blankets we started the movies. The movies were good and we took brakes in between for the bathroom, more food, or anything else. It was late at night by the time we finished watching them all. I was amazed that we watched them all in one day!

When the credits of the last movie started to roll by I feel down on my back.

"Wow, that was… interesting…" I muttered my eyes wide. "Birds are evil now." Henry and Vlad laughed.

"I liked it."

"Well, Henry, you would!" I joked, Vlad laughed. "I liked the Twilight one. It was so cute!" Both boys stare at me blankly. "What I am a girl! I have the define right to find those kind of movies cute! I want a vampire to like me." I sighed and picked up the DVD cover. I smiled at the picture of the two lead characters. Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

Henry started to laugh uncontrollably. He was laughing so hard he fell on his side next to me after slapping Vlad. He held his gut and was even about to actually cry.

"What? I wouldn't mind to have a vampire boy friend like Edward." He laughed harder.

"I'm just going to go get a drink." Vlad grumbled calmly, irritated, and stood to leave the game room.

"Oh come on Vlad! Don't run away from it!" Henry gasped through his giggling.

"I don't even want to know." I shook my head disappointed at the retardedness of my cousin. And yes, retardedness is a word if it involves my cousin. Vlad soon came back and lay down in his sleeping bag. Henry sat up, now finished with his laughing fit.

"So now what do you all want to do?" Henry asked. I shrugged and took a sip of my soda.

"I don't know. We could play a game or something." Vlad suggested. Henry sat up straight and grinned wickedly.

"Great idea! Let's play Truth or Dare!" I chocked on my drink and started to try and pump it out of my chest.

"I thou- I thought that was a girl game!" I chocked out. "I mean I haven't been to many slumber parties because I moved so much. But even I know that that's a girl game."

"I hate that game Henry." Vlad agreed with me.

"Actually guys play it too. And so what Vlad? Come on it might be fun!"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'm in." Henry grinned wider and turned to Vlad. Vlad shook in shame and slowly nodded. "Okay, who's going first?"

"First, we make the rules. Once you choose either truth or dare you can't change okay? And you cannot pass a dare or truth. Agreed?" I thought twice about it but agreed anyway, so did Vlad. "Great! I'll go first!"

"I'm warning you, I'm a truth kinda person." I added, he nodded and continued.

"Well you first, cousin. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." I sighed, might as well right? I instantly regretted doing so. Henry smiled wickedly, I saw a strong hint of mischief in his eyes. "I'm scared."

"Have you ever kissed a guy?"

The question was short, fast. And yet it caught me off guard. I expected him to say something truly embarrassing, yet he asked em that. This one question dumbfounded me and I stared stupidly at him.

"I…Well, no. I have never kissed a guy." I answered slowly and simply. He grinned wider. "Why do you need to know?" I asked, he ignored me.

"Well it's your turn. Ask me or Vlad."

"You." I answered, wanted revenge. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." He held his hands behind his head in a laid back position.

"Stand on your head and sing 'Over the Rainbow' for two minutes." He went serious then agreed. He went to the bare wall and started to stand on his head. He wobbled for a while before he steadied himself. "Start singing."

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow why, oh why can't I?"

I was laughing my head off along with Vlad. Henry was so red in the face he looked like we was going to explode. He finally fell to the floor as he hit the last pathetic note and crawled back to us. Vlad and I were still chuckling as he held his head, waiting for it to lose some blood.

"That was good Mina." Vlad chuckled one more time after placing his hand on my shoulder.

I tensed at his touch and almost felt like crying when he pulled away. I blushed madly, redder than Henry was. I attempted to look at him but I ended up looking back down and back to Henry after I saw he was watching me too.

"Okay I guess my turn again. Vlad; truth or dare?"

"Dare. Do your worst." He challenged my cousin, he shouldn't have done that. I saw the evil flash back into Henry's eyes and he flashed the grin once again.

"Kiss Mina."

Two words escaped his evil mouth. I was frozen still in shock and I couldn't breath. After what seemed like ages I found my voice.

"No!" I protested. "Henry, don't make him to that!" I slapped him on the head.

"Nope, you can't refuse a dare! He has to do it. Go on Vlad, kiss Mina."

"I am not going to kiss her, Henry. It's not fair if she has no say in the matter." I nodded and crossed my arms. "See?"

"Oh come on Mina! It's for a dare. A little peck on the lips never hurt anyone." Henry insisted. I was as red as an apple and I kept flashing my eyes back and forth from Henry to Vlad. "Do it or I will tell Mom that you snuck out that one night to go to the movies."

"I went with you!" I snapped back. He smiled, knowing that when you tell my aunt something, she trusts the first version she hears. I was fuming. "Fine." I spoke through gritted teeth. "If you want to go with the dare and kiss me Vlad, do it now."

Amazingly, I looked him right in the eyes without a blush. I was proud of myself for my small showing of bravery. Because to be honest if Vlad were to kiss me I don't think I would be able to stop. I was praying against the odds that he would somehow get out of it. Vlad met my eyes and I almost looked away but decided to stay firm. He sighed as if in defeat.

"Alright." He sighed again and met my eyes and held them. Even if I wanted to look away I couldn't. He slowly started to lean toward me. I held still and I watched him come merely inches away. The pull and attraction I had since I met Vlad increased as he moved every spec closer to me.

I felt my lips part slightly as he continued to come toward me. Now merely an inch away I felt my eyes slowly start to close as his did as well. He continued to move forward until I could feel his breath on my lips; cool and sweet. Yet just as I was close enough to feel the coolness of his lips just specs away from mine a door opened.

My aunt bursts open the door. I flew to the other side of the room, away from Vlad. I saw Vlad had done the exact same thing, and was staring at me. I looked at my aunt, trying not to look at him as my face grew hot.

"It's late, you three. Get to bed." She ordered and closed the door. All was dead silent when she was gone. I felt my eyes stay glued on Vlad's as Henry looked back and forth as if watching a tennis match. I bit my lip and scampered into my sleeping bag.

"Mina…" I heard Henry whine. I slowly zipped my sleeping bag closed.

I ignored him as I tried to make my face stop being a giant fresh tomato. I silently thought of what would have happened if my aunt hadn't burst in. Would he have still kissed me? Would he even have liked it? Would it have been a real kiss or just a peck? Would I have kissed him back, or even have let him go? Then what would have Henry done?

In the darkness of my warm sleeping bag I slowly fell asleep as I fingered my lips. Wondering how they would feel with Vlad's lips pressed against them.


	2. Ever Since I Saw You

_Hello everyone. Sorry that I couldn't post more. But here it is! A new post! This is Vlad's thoughts of when he first met Mina. I know it is short, but it is good. So suck it up and enjoy it! Lol. _

_**Ever Since I Saw You**_

I was getting ready to jump out in front of Henry when he came in. I took hold of my cape and spread it out wide as I jumped out from around the corner.

"I vant to suck your blood!" I cheered when I landed my feet on the floor. I opened my eyes when I heard a scream, a girl's scream. I saw a girl dressed in a blood red eighteenth century dress with a very low cut neckline and the sleeves fell off her shoulders. Her hair was long and curled to the small of her back. She was pale but not as pale as me. Her lips were painted red and her eyes were rimmed with black. She easily calmed herself after I had scared her and I saw thick blood layer her cheeks.

When I saw her all that seemed to matter in my life was erased into the abyss. Everything just fell into her, everything that ever held importance was lost in her. Her red dress, lips and cheeks to her chocolate brown hair and to her light eyes; she was there. Her gentle breathing slowed as she calmed herself and the redness of her face dimmed into nothing. From just that moment I knew she was AB- blood type. Rare, Aunt Nelly almost never got that sort of blood.

The seconds since I saw her seemed like ages. She met my gaze and her eyes were of a clear Caribbean sea, dark emerald against a sky blue. The pool of blood tingled my thirst as she looked back down. I saw her gently bump her elbow into Henry, who was still laughing. Who was this girl…?


	3. Addicted

_These are some songfics that I have written whenever I just…think of them. I'm posting them one at a time though. And please, if you have read There's Always A Tomorrow and you want to know "well what was Vlad thinking right there?" or "What was Henry (or Otis, or anyone else) thinking right there?" Or if you simply want to know something that happened in TAAT and want more info. Or maybe just want me to rewrite your favorite scene just in someone else's POV. _

_JUST ASK!_

_I do not own Vladimir Tod, or Addicted by Kelly Clarkson._

It's like you're a drug  
It's like you're a demon I can't face down  
It's like I'm stuck  
It's like I'm running from you all the time

Mina sighed as she thought about pulling away from Vlad. But his arms weren't the only thing sealing her to him with a force stronger than anything she has ever embraced.

And I know I let you have all the power  
It's like the only company I seek is misery all around

It's like you're a leech  
Sucking the life from me  
It's like I can't breathe  
Without you inside of me

She fell to the snow, the soft ice as cold as her skin and the boy who continues to hurt her. She gasped for breath as her body shook and convulsed in agony as his presence, his care, and his mind fell out from her.

And I know I let you have all the power  
And I realize I'm never gonna quit you over time

She ignored his haunting gaze as he turned to her and his smile lured her to fall to pieces. His velvet, silky voice nearly hummed her name as he tried to hold her in thanks. She tried to pull away before he was to completely engulf her, yet failed and melting into him.

It's like I can't breathe  
It's like I can't see anything  
Nothing but you  
I'm addicted to you  
It's like I can't think  
Without you interrupting me  
In my thoughts, in my dreams  
You've taken over me  
It's like I'm not me  
It's like I'm not me

As she sobbed and tried to steady herself after the deadly blow of his betrayal she held her head in anguish. Her hands clasped over her head as she shook her head fiercely, her pale fingers digging deep around her black and red hair. Blind with tears, suffering from the empty silence of her thoughts without his mingling with hers. Never, she had never thought a beautiful love scene in the snow could break her heart so.

It's like I´m lost  
It's like I´m giving up slowly  
It's like you´re a ghost that´s haunting me  
Leave me alone  
And I know these voices in my head are mine alone  
And I know I´ll never change my ways  
If I don´t give you up now

She screamed and slammed a pillow against anything she could hit. Locked in the sanctuary of her room, with Vladimir begging her to speak, she screamed in her thoughts at him. He was never to hear, for her own thoughts and feelings went at war.

It's like I can´t breathe  
It's like I can´t see anything  
Nothing but you  
I´m addicted to you  
It´s like I can´t think  
Without you interrupting me  
In my thoughts, in my dreams  
You´ve taken over me  
It´s like I´m not me  
It´s like I´m not me

In the darkness of the clearing, her pain grew to impossible heights as her life and mortality was eaten away. It wasn't the pain of the fire raging inside her and burning her soul that was killing her. It was the life draining from her one love, her eternal soul to love for infinity just slowly dies away before her.

I´m hooked on you  
I need a fix  
I can´t take it  
Just one more hit  
I promise I can deal with it  
I´ll handle it, quit it  
Just one more time, then that´s it  
Just a little bit more to get me through this

Floating and falling over the earth in the crisp night he held her close. He slipped his arms tighter around her waist, close to the point that they would devour the other if any closer. He slowed his movements and the burning embers of his eyes met the Caribbean waters of her own. His lips formed and melted onto hers and seemed intent on never releasing her.

I´m hooked on you  
I need a fix  
I can´t take it  
Just one more hit  
I promise I can deal with it  
I´ll handle it, quit it  
Just one more time, then that´s it  
Just a little bit more to get me through this

Once again alone, his warm silky lips crashed to hers again. After losing herself in him she roughly removed herself from his grasp. Her eyes showed her heartbreak at her actions, never wishing to leave, but the truth was colder. The endless bliss he was giving her now would end the moment they return to the soil of their home.

It´s like I can´t breathe  
It´s like I can´t see anything  
Nothing but you  
I´m addicted to you  
It´s like I can´t think  
Without you interrupting me  
In my thoughts, in my dreams  
You´ve taken over me  
It´s like I´m not me  
It´s like I´m not me

Death isn't always the emptying of life from a body. Death can also come in the rare form of unemotional suffering by which only another can bring on. The harshest and coldest death is while you continue to live as the soul object of your happiness tears you to part. After all…

Love Never Dies...

_This song fic doesn't seem like it's very good but...I adore this song so much. Kaitlyn, my friend, showed me this song for Mina and Vlad and I almost cried when I heard it. _

_Please Review_


	4. Over and Over

_This is in Tenth Grades one of the chapters I just updated today so… beware! And also don't take anything against how Jon and Lucy act, they really have nothing against Vlad they just don't like what he is putting Mina through. _

_I don't own Vladimir Tod, Heather Brewer does._

_I don't own Over and Over, Three Days Grace does._

_Hope you enjoy._

**Over and Over by Three Days Grace**

Mina sighed as she sat on her family's front porch. The door behind her opened and Vlad and Henry rush out and start down the porch and to the sidewalk. She felt her heart ache as Vlad moved farther away from her and she pulled her arms tightly around herself. She pouted as she watched them and she stood and went toward the house. Just as she was about to go inside she heard Vlad call her name. She smiled widely and raced down to go with them. She tackled them both in hugs and they all laughed as she smiled and blushed up at Vlad.

_**I feel it every day, it's all the same. It brings me down but I'm the one to blame. I've tried everything to get away. So here I go again; chasing you down again. Why do I do this? Over and over, over and over, I fall for you. Over and over, over and over, I try not to...  
**_  
Vlad sat at his usual table during lunch. Henry sat across from him and Meredith went to chat with Melissa. He felt the strong attraction yank his eyes to look up and he saw Mina. She was laughing happily with Jonathan at their table with Lucy. He took in a deep gulp of air and stood to walk over to their table. As he stood there, the entire group fell silent to listen to him. Mina stared up at him with hope just faintly lighting up her eyes. He looked at her and opened his mouth to speak, yet nothing came out. Lucy and Jonathan chuckled as he found he had no words. He sighed angrilly to himself and started back for his table. Halfway there he felt a bolt of electricity shock his arms as Mina spun him around and hugged him. He didn't have time to react before she let go and sprinted back to her table.

_**Feels like everyday stays the same. It's dragging me down and I can't pull away. So here I go again; chasing you down again. Why do I do this? Over and over, over and over, I fall for you. Over and over, over and over, I try not to. Over and over, over and over, you make me fall for you. Over and over, over and over, you don't even try.**_

Mina sat in her room with Amelia, she stared blankly at the wall while Amelia tried to get her attention. She only found the wall interesting as it reflected her memories of Vlad. Amelia noticed what she was thinking about Vlad and went over to hug her. But all Mina could do was wish it was Vlad instead.

_**So many thoughts that I can't get out of my head! I've tried to live without you; every time I do I feel dead! I know what's best for me... but I want you instead! I'll keep on wasting all my time....**_

Vlad walked down the hallway of Bathory High school and he looked up just in time to see Mina walking by with Amelia. He remembered how he was the one who walked to every class with her and frowned slightly as he watched her pass. He then stared down at the hole in his shoe as he continued to walk. Mina felt the pull to her heart and side glanced at Vlad. She stopped walking for a fraction of a second to turn and watch after him. Vlad slowly did the same and their eyes made contact.

_**Over and over, over and over, I fall for you. Over and over, over and over, I try not to. Over and over, you make me fall for you. Over and over, over and over, you don't even try to....**_

_If you like these songs, please tell me. If you have any songs that you think fit my story, just tell me and I'll listen to them and see what I can do! ;)_


	5. I Blame Dracula

_Well, as requested by __ElectroCouture, here is the entire first chapter in Vlad's point of view. Halloween all over again. Yay!_

_Enjoy_

**I Blame Dracula**

Who was this girl? This girl in my home dressed graciously in a vampric design and eyes the color of the sea, and the sweetest blood to have ever come to me?

"Oh, Vlad this is Mina. She is my cousin, she just moved here the other day. My parents wanted her to come with us. Mina, this is Vlad." Henry spoke as I watched her squirm under my examination. I felt bad about making her uncomfortable but I couldn't stop.

Her eyes shined up into mine and everything collapsed. A tidal wave of feelings seemed to ram into me from those eyes. I couldn't place exactly what it was, but something hit me and tempted me to continue to stare at her. The temptation grew when she blushed, looked away, and her eyes met mine again. I felt like I should touch her somehow, no I needed to touch her. I stepped closer, and in all honestly it…hurt.

Mina.

It had a ring to it. It was short and sweet. I repeated it in my mind once again as I moved forward reluctantly. Mina… Familiar and yet so common.

The flooding emotions grew to a painful level when I held my hand out to her. When she slowly slid her small, soft hand in mine the pain subsided. I felt like I just willingly held out a soaking wet hand to an outlet and somehow enjoyed it. I yanked my hand away from the strange electricity, I didn't even fully shake her hand.

"That's a sweet costume. Check me out. You'll just die." Henry did a pose and revealed his neck.

"No way!" I attempted to ignore the yanking feeling to his cousin and turned to Henry in excitement. "What did you use?" I asked.

"Silly putty and raspberry jam." I heard her soft, sweet voice. Against my will I turned to her. What is it with this girl? She looked away and blushed madly.

"Seedless?"

"Well, duh. Can't have seeds in my wound. Might get infected." Henry spoke for her.

"Did you get enough to eat?" Nelly asked me. I nodded to her and started to head to the door.

"Party's over at midnight." I pulled out sunscreen and she grabbed my hand to stop me.

"You won't need that. I want you home by eleven." Nelly stated, I got ready to whine and beg to stay longer.

"Eleven?" I sighed. Then I handed her the tube and rolled my eyes. "But no one else will be leaving early, and besides, at midnight there's supposed to be some big surprise."

"We can't miss it." Henry added, I smiled.

"Well… Alright, but stick together, and if you get hungry, give me a call on my cell… I'll be at Deb's until late." Nelly finally agreed and we rushed out. We were walking toward Matthews house when Henry spoke.

"Matthews called me earlier, said Meredith will be there." I glared at him and his cousin raced back up behind us in her dress. I attempted to try and slow our pace for the dress looked hard to move in, but when she seemed fine I didn't slow. "Big thing at midnight, huh?"

"I'm a…" I started but remembered his cousin beside us. "Night-lover and she wants me home by eleven? I don't think so. Why doesn't she just follow me to the party and kiss me goodbye?"

"Hey, don't knock it. If it weren't for Nelly, you'd never get kissed." Henry joked, I felt an edge of a blush but before it could fully begin I commented back.

"Like you've room to talk."

"I've kissed plenty of girls." Out of the corner of my eye I saw the girl shoot a look at him and he glared back.

"I'm not talking about your mom, dork." I told him, and I could tell she was feeling awkward in this conversation.

"Neither am I. I'm talking about girls like Carrie Anderson and Stephanie Brawn." Henry added.

"Stephanie will kiss anyone." I told him in a bland tone.

"Yeah. I know." He grinned widely, I could swear I heard her gasp. "Her sister's cute, though."

"Dude, that's gross. She just turned twelve."

"So?"

"So you'll be fourteen in two months. It's gross."

"She's nice."

"Whether a girl will kiss you or not isn't a measure of how nice she is." I thought I saw his quiet cousin smile but my eyes got set on Meredith not too far ahead. She was dressed as an angel and I felt my heart flip.

"So what is Einstein?" Henry asked.

"Girls who kiss in the back of the band room aren't nice." I answered and turned away from Meredith.

"I never told you it was the band room." Henry leaned toward me and whispered so his cousin wouldn't hear. "You know I hate it when you read my mind." I shrugged and kept walking. Henry got off the topic soon when he saw three kids. "Hey, want some candy?"

"I shouldn't. Nelly's still ticked about last year." I answered his silence request, I felt sort of bad for the girl with us, she seemed so lost.

"Oh come on! It'll be funny! Besides, if you don't do it… I'll totally tell Meredith that you like her." I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Dude! Not cool!" I saw her glare at him. "If we get caught you owe me big time." I was already about to go and scare the kids into dropping their candy when I heard a sweet ringing voice in my ears.

"Uh, wait!" Her voice echoed in my head long after it had gone. When I turned to her she blushed again and I tried to ignore her blood so much like sugar. "I have candy from when I was helping pass out candy to the early trick-or-treaters." She held out her bag, which had normal girl stuff inside along with candy. It was the first time I heard her speak a sentence all night.

"Aw not fun!" Henry complained.

"You wanted candy you got it. Take her candy and let's go." He glared daggers and she smiled at him in return. I felt an odd prickling in my lower ribs, or stomach, and nearly felt the need to smile with her.

As we walked on I leaned back behind Henry and mouthed a word to her. 'Thanks.' She tried to smile again and I waited for it. But it seemed she couldn't and she blushed and kept walking. I sighed silently. We made it to Matthew's house and walked up the porch and into the house. His mom was at the door.

"Well, come on in, you evil dudes! The party's started and it's totally rockin'!" The older woman said, we all stared at her with weird expressions and walked inside.

Once inside Henry told me something but I couldn't hear over the crowd and music. But he walked off and I figured he'd be back soon. I found the couch to the side and sad down. I felt like I was a radar and it was keeping track of the girl with eyes the color of a perfect day. She moved toward me awkwardly but she stopped when Tom and Bill started to talk.

"Oh my god, check this geek out."

"Nice costume, goth boy." Tom and Bill spoke. She kept inching toward me, but Tom and Bill were leaving.

"Nice breath, loser." I snapped back as Mina still seemed unsure about if she should come with me.

"Bite me." I was so close to doing exactly what he said, how badly I wanted to kill them. I turned when I saw that Mina did not come to sit by me but instead she went outside after Tom and Bill. Maybe she thought she shouldn't bother me because I seemed in a bad mood? I did just have an argument with two guys for no reason, at least to her. I sighed and stood up to go outside. I took in a breath of fresh air and walked around to calm myself down. I heard Meredith's laughter and turned to see Henry whispering to her.

Jealously flooded me and I walked off the porch and made a solid effort to ignore his concerned cousin. Henry was fast to follow though. "That's not what it looked like."

"This was a mistake. Maybe I should just go home."

Henry took a step to follow me. "Already? What about Meredith?"

"It looked to me like she was in good hands." I admitted and Henry shook his head. From my peripherals I saw his cousin sit on the porch in frustration or boredom. I turned to leave.

"You got it all wrong. I was trying to hook you up for the dance. You believe me, don't you?" As Henry followed me and placed a hand on my shoulder, his cousin Mina slowly stood to follow us.

"Of course I do." I reluctantly admitted and attempted a smile. Together we turned to head to my house and waited for Mina to catch up with us. "Did you hear about Mr. Craig?"

"What is he going to be out sick for another week? I don't think I can handle any more of Snelgrove's pop quizzes." I guessed and made small talk but Henry grew suddenly serious and stopped walking.

"People are saying he's been declared missing."

I froze and stared at Henry in disbelief. Mina looked back and forth between me and Henry for answers but I was too shocked to say anything. Finally I found my voice. "No way. Does anybody know anything?"

"Not really. They say he just up and disappeared."

"Weird." I continued walking and felt my thoughts drift towards the possibilities of where Mr. Craig would have disappeared to.

"Yeah…Hey did you see Stephanie's sister in there?" Henry grinned. "She was looking pretty nice."

"Dude. Seriously." I shoved my hands in my pockets. "She's twelve."

We walked back to my house and I felt like keeping my costume on. Henry was spending the night and neither of us had really detailed costumes anyway. It was his cousin that was in full out costume. She was in a ball gown with a corset and all. She tried to let us be alone, I guess she felt like she was bothering us when really she wasn't, but Henry wouldn't let her leave. For some reason he wanted to keep her around longer and longer.

It was strange. She never spoke unless spoken too. She seemed shy and curious and absorbed every word we said and every action we made. Normally I would have found it a bit creepy but something made me curious too.

"Henry, I need to be home." She insisted but Henry rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Mina. Just watch a movie or two!" She looked toward the door then back at her cousin. "You got all dressed up so you might as well show it off!"

"Henry!" She yelped and her cheeks suddenly turned the color of her dress. Scarlet. She then sat down and tried not to look at him. "You're the one who demanded me dress like this anyway."

"Don't make her if she doesn't want to." I cut in and Henry pouted while Mina slid her eyes over to me. The pressure in the room grew and I felt cold…I need to tell Nelly to turn on the heater.

"I'm not making her. I'm just asking."

"I'll stay for a movie." She finally amended. "Just not a lot of blood, please."

At her words I looked at Henry who did the same and looked at me. We laughed but agreed and decided to watch Nosferatu. It was one of my favorites and Mina had never seen it. She watched the movie without any force and seemed to enjoy it. It wasn't until Nosferatu ended that she turned to us and spoke.

"Do you both have an obsession with vampires or something?" I felt my body grow rigid at her question and tried to distract myself with looking for another movie. Henry decided to just ignore her, but she watched us both for a moment before muttering, "Just a question."

Then Henry saw a movie and pointed at the screen. "Dude, let's watch Dracula!" I thought against it but he added, "It's right there!" So I reluctantly started the movie. Setting in for the next two hours, Mina stole Henry's chips and munched on them quietly.

I wasn't too keen on letting her watch this movie. After all, I'm a vampire and my name is Vladimir…just like Dracula. They don't really mention it much in this film until he meets Mina Murray and introduces himself. But a Vlad and Mina meet…Would that be weird for her? She said she hadn't seen a single vampire movie in her life when Henry asked her. Something about her brother or cousin not letting her…Josh?

Throughout the movie I found myself watching her more than the screen. In the beginning when Dracula's wife killed herself she lifted an eyebrow but I couldn't figure out why.

As Jonathan Harker had his first encounter with Dracula's three wives I turned my eyes away from the movie and from Mina. I was feeling my face grow warm at the awkward feeling of two guys watching such a 'mature' scene with a girl present. I wasn't very used to it…at all.

Then Dracula met Wilhelmina Murray. I watched Henry's cousin closely during the entire scene and saw her variety of emotions. She looked curious and smiled at Dracula's attempts to get Murray's attention. I guessed that she found it cute in some away; like how I was finding her smile. Then as Gary Oldman's character said his name her eyes lit up with a realization. I felt my eyes widen and hoped she didn't say anything. But then her brows knitted together and she muttered something that only Henry could hear. He turned his attention to her and I turned the TV's volume down so I could hear her.

"My name is Mina and you dressed me like her tonight for Halloween." Henry nodded and her eyes flickered to me. "And I just met you, Vlad, tonight and you're a vampire." I clenched my jaw and couldn't look her in the eyes as she said that. "I find it ironic."

"Hey, you're right!" Henry cheered. "That's cool!" But then Henry grew still before his eyes widened and he fell over in laughter. "Oh that's great! That's just hilarious!" He gasped through burst of giggles.

"What?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Dracula and Mina end up together right?" He asked as he grew serious once again. My best friend's eyes glowed with anticipation and his face held the biggest grin I'd ever seen. I glanced at Mina just behind him and back at him. She looked almost…scared…with pink touching her cheeks.

"Yeah…?" I replied. "Why?"

Even louder and more uncontrollable laughter erupted from Henry. "Mina… And Vlad!" He wrapped his arms around his stomach to try and stop the soreness of laughter from happening. As his words suddenly made sense I looked at Henry's only girl cousin.

She looked away from me the second I looked at her, her blushed growing even darker. She drew in her lips in embarrassment and I felt a small smile twitch at the corner of my lips. Instead of letting Henry continue I turned the volume up and forced my attention on the film. It wasn't until Murray and Dracula had a 'romantic' dinner that Henry's amusement resurfaced. Mina, unable to take Henry's teasing, stood in a rush.

"I'm calling Matilda, it's late." She whipped out her phone.

"Aw come on, Mina! You're no fun!" Henry whined but let her call his mother either way.

"Well sorry but some of us have unpacking to do." She reasoned before addressing her aunt on the phone. "Hey Aunt Matilda, I'm ready to be picked up." She nodded to an unheard question as she spoke. "Yeah you can come now if you want. Okay, see you soon, bye." She hung up her phone and placed it back in her bag. "She will be here in five minutes."

"Why don't you just walk, I showed you the way?"

She looked up at Henry and shrugged awkwardly. "I get freaked out easily."

"You live with Henry?" I found myself breaking the conversation and she nodded and muttered a soft 'yes' without looking at me. Henry shot me a look that read 'duh, dude,' all over it before he stood.

"Let's just take you." He said as he stretched and Mina called her aunt to tell her the change of plans. Once we had the permission I called to Nelly to tell her where we were going.

We walked together down the streets of Bathory without anything but casual conversation to keep us entertained. Mina was still very quiet unless one of us made her talk or asked her a specific question that required more than a nod or shake of the head. Then, she reached her hand to her stomach and breathed out wearily, causing Henry to ask if she was okay.

"Corsets are fine and all, but not when you're doing a lot of walking." She said and laughed softly.

"Yeah, but you look hot in it!" Henry exclaimed and I caught her wide-eyed expression and the blush on her cheeks even in the darkness. I had to admit, Henry had a way of shoving her into the spotlight. I don't think I've seen Henry treat another girl so…nicely before. He usually is either trying to make out with them or get a date from them. So seeing him be so loving and teasing to someone, especially a girl, was different. And I could totally see why he would. That blush suited her…

"Doesn't she Vlad?"

I shook my head and blinked away from her shy face, which I now noticed was looking at me as we walked. I turned to look where I was walking. "Uh, sure. I guess."

"Right. You've got to admit she's rockin' that dress!" Henry grinned teasingly from my peripherals and I gave him a weirded-out look.

"She's your cousin, dude. That's just weird." Then I leaned forward to see around Henry. "No offence, but that makes you like family."

She shrugged uncaringly and pretended not to care or pay any mind to the subject. Was Henry _trying_ to get me and this chick to hook up, or something? Sure, Henry always makes remarks about girls left and right. But this wasn't just any girl. This was his cousin! And he usually didn't try and get me in on the 'checking the girl out' thing.

_I blame Dracula_, I thought with a chuckle as we reached Henry's house.

"Night Henry." She said and hugged him tightly. "Thanks for inviting me." He held her back and for once I saw my best friend hug a girl with care rather than a way to just be close to her. It made me almost smile at the different side of my friend that I was seeing that night.

Then she turned to me and shyly looked from the ground to me. She bounced on her toes and I smiled as I waited for her to talk or decided what to do.

"Um…Goodnight, Vlad." She offered a simple smile and met my eyes for a second before looked at her shoes again. "It's nice to meet you."

I suppose she could hear the smile in my voice as I spoke because she looked up at me. "You too, Mina. See you at school?" Her face lit up in a bought of happiness. I guess she was happy that she actually knew someone other than Henry in the town already. She smiled wider this time and didn't look away for a long moment.

"Yeah, sure." She then tossed one last look at Henry before walking up to the front door. As she was about to go inside, Henry decided to bring back the awkwardness of earlier.

"See ya tomorrow, Countess!"

Almost instantaneously after he spoke I swung my arm around to hit his violently. As he took a step back in pain I glared ferociously. "Shut up." I told him blankly and Henry held back his outburst. I looked back to Mina and gave her the best smile I could offer to try and make her not so embarrassed by her cousin. Henry could be a little _too_ enthusiastic, even for family. "Don't listen to him, he's an idiot!"

She smiled and I felt my skin grow cold and my blood pulse with warmth. I shook it off and reminded myself to tell Nelly I might be sick or something. She closed the door behind her and I headed back to my house with Henry.

"You okay, dude?"

I reached my hand to my head. "I don't feel too good." I explained as my head started to feel light and my stomach began to feel as if it had come alive. My chest felt like the air had been knocked out of me…only it didn't go away.

"You just had too much candy." Henry waved it off and I sighed.

Then I felt my stomach roar with hunger and immediately my thoughts turned to his cousin. She had the most amazing blood I had ever smelt in a human ever before. It was different. Like there was something there that made her blood special or unique but I couldn't place it. "No," I denied his idea, "I just need more blood."

_First off, I am SO SORRY! I totally forgot all about this little spin-off and all the people who wanted remixes or rewrites of chapters or even songfics. I have lots to write now! _

_I had this mostly done for a while but just never got around to finishing the last scene before I forgot all about it. But here it is, and I'll try and get on those other requests…okay?_

_So sorry guys…Read and review!_


	6. Bright Eyes

_This is a request for xXEmmetteXx, she wanted me to do a songfic for MinaxVlad with the song 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'. I've always loved this song and I just never thought it would fit in the actual story. Many of you may have noticed that Mina's songs have grown along with her and I feel this song fits her personality more when she was younger, and so hence I placed it here. _

_This scene was never in TAAT, but I imagine it around Thanksgiving in 9__th__ grade so they would be 14 here. Mina is not a vampire and has no clue that Vlad is a vampire either. At this point she is crushing hard on him and he hasn't a clue. :3 _

_Aw the good ol' days! Anyway, please enjoy._

**Bright Eyes**

Mina can't cook. This is a well-known fact and is _never_ to be tested. Yet she could bake anything one could imagine without a hint of effort. But she always enjoyed the holidays because it was the one time of the year when she could bake endlessly and no one ever questioned it. Any other part of the year it had to be for a birthday, but once the calendar read November, she was stuck in the kitchen for hours.

She didn't mind much because she got to spend a lot more time with her Aunt Matilda than she usually had the time for. This day in particular, she was baking several pies as her aunt made dinner for the rest of the McMillans.

Since her Uncle Mike and Cousin Greg were out looking for a car for their eldest son and Henry was at Vlad's house, Mina and Matilda McMillan had the house to themselves. Her aunt played classic songs the entire time and they both sang and danced along as they shared the kitchen.

The young teen liked it especially because it gave her an easy, care-free feeling and let her come out of her usually-shy-shell and sing without worry of being heard by anyone but her aunt.

The late setting sun hit the house in such a way that the room was cast in a radiant orange glow. The entire room seemed to be made of various shades of yellow, orange, red, brown, and even gold. This atmosphere warmed Mina's heart and filled her with an ever-growing level of happiness. One of those days that are just plain…good.

"Oh, I love this song!" Aunt Matilda exclaimed as the easily recognized song from the Eighties resounded through the house. Mina smiled at her aunt as she swayed to the songs intro, then she came around the island to hug Mina momentarily. "Your mother loved this song too!

"I know." Mina chuckled as she stirred her bowl. "Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears." She sang and was joined by her aunt. "Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by. Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes." Her aunt waved around a spoon covered in mashed potatoes in tune with the song. "Every now and then I fall apart…Every now and then I fall apart!"

Then, as many girls do, Mina's mind began to drift to her crush. Her smile grew into a smitten grin as her cheeks turned a faint pink. She could still clearly remember that a few weeks ago she had kissed Vlad on the cheek.

And she most definitely noticed that he blushed when she did so.

"And I need you now tonight, and I need you more than ever. And if you only hold me tight, we'll be holding on forever. And we'll only be making it right, 'cus we'll never be wrong." Her blush grew and she prayed her aunt wouldn't notice it. "Together we can take it to the end of the line. Our love is like the shadow on me all of the time. I don't know what to do I'm always in the dark." She giggled at the oh-so-very-true irony in the lyrics. "I'm living in a powder keg and giving off sparks. I really need you tonight! Forever's gonna start tonight!"

The tempo slowed and Mina didn't hold back her voice. Usually she was quite shy when singing was concerned, even in her choir, but this was a song that just had to be sung. Plus her aunt seemed even more open than she was.

"Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart. There's nothing I can do, totally eclipse of the heart." Mina paused in her baking process to turn up the music volume so she could sing louder. Spinning around as she did so, she kept singing. "Once upon a time there was light in my life, now there's only love in the dark." Memories of Vlad rang through her skull and she smiled like a love-sick puppy. "Nothing I can say, total eclipse of the heart."

Unknowingly to Mina, Henry and Vlad were just walking into the house when they heard the infamous music. They followed the source and found Mina dancing and spinning around the kitchen as Henry's mother cut vegetables.

Henry was about to laugh and interrupt but Vlad smacked him to hold it and they hid behind the wall. Vlad stared with a smile of amusement at Mina and Henry slid him a lifted eyebrow before saying he was going upstairs. Vlad didn't bother to follow for he never saw Mina be so open before and he had to admit that seeing his friend this way was…interesting, to say the least.

"Turn around, bright eyes." The song began again.

Then Mina did something Vlad had never seen her do…she sang. "Every now and then I fall apart!"

"Turn around, bright eyes."

"Every now and then I fall apart!" She lifted her pies and placed them in the oven. "And I need you now tonight!" She closed the oven with her hip in beat with the music. "And I need you more than ever!" She wrapped her arms around herself before swinging them around as she spun in circles. "And if you only hold me tight, we'll be holding on forever. And we'll only be making it right, 'cus we'll never be wrong!"

Vlad smiled widely at Mina's passion. Her over-dramatic movements and her melodramatic intensity to the song made him want to laugh. But strangely he didn't. Had this been Henry, he would find a way to film it as blackmail for the future. But Mina's singing had him at a standstill and he only wanted to listen and watch.

"Together we can take it to the end of the line! Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time! I don't know what to do, I'm always in the dark! I'm living in a powder keg and giving off sparks!" She leaned on the counter and sang with fervor to her aunt who sang along but less powerfully. "I really need you tonight! Forever's gonna start tonight!"

Slowing down some, Vlad tried to point out what it was that was making him so keen in watching her little performance.

Was it how the sunset was coloring her skin in a heavenly gleam? Was it her black hair waving around her or the pale red of her smiling lips? Could it be the shine of her dark green-bright blue eyes? Vlad instead placed the blame on the fact that though he had heard her sing before, he had never seen her so…lightheartedly open.

"Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart." He felt his face grow warm as he recalled what she had done last Halloween. "Nothing I can do, total eclipse of the heart. Total eclipse of the heart…a total eclipse of the heart."

As the song ended Vlad stepped into the room and put on a smile. One that would show he was trying to be cleaver or smooth and was not meaning to embarrass her—as he knew she would be-before he spoke.

"Turn around, Bright Eyes."

Mina let out a squeal before seeing him and her face turned into the shade of a tomato. Vlad chuckled and Mina hid her face and her aunt laughed merrily.

"I guess you got caught!" Her Aunt Matilda smiled playfully.

Still hiding her face, Mina peeked out from around her fingers. "How long were you there…?" She asked reluctantly with her brows knitted and Vlad smiled.

"A long time." He beamed and walked towards her, towards the refrigerator. "Henry and I wanted drinks." He lied and opened the refrigerator to ease Mina's discomfort though he was well aware of her actions as she slowly lowered her hands.

"You…weren't supposed to see that." She mumbled awkwardly as she fiddled with her fingers around her oven mitts.

Vlad held two soda cans—one atop the other—in one hand and with the other he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, I know." He chuckled again and she reddened slightly and chewed her lip. "It was pretty good though." He then turned and was walking out of the kitchen before tossing another comment over his shoulder. "Very cute."

Mina smiled the rest of the night. Her cheeks flaming red, she decided she needed to sing more often.

_Wow, I literally popped this out in less than an hour! _

_It's short, it's simple…Maybe a bit rushed? _

_I don't know, you guys tell me, okay? I don't think it's that good, it was hard to write this because it's more in Vlad's zone near the end and at this part of TAAT I had NO CLUE what Vlad was doing. No one did, I don't think…We all just know Mina was crushing hard on him and was worrying about that kiss from Halloween. _

_Sooo….yeah._

_Review? :3_


	7. Maybe It's True

_This is a request for Izzy-Crazy-Girl666. _

_She asked me for songfics with the songs "I Hate Everything About You" and "Monsoon". Sadly, I listened to both songs endlessly for hours and could not come up with ties to TAAT at all. Every idea I had ended in failure or just plain…sucking. _

_The bad kind._

_So I asked her what other song(s) she would like me to use. She suggested her and her boyfriend's song; "Two Is Better Than One" by BoysLikeGirls ft. Taylor Swift. _

_Now this song I really love and it used to be on the soundtrack to TAAT. But then my grandmother got sick and started living with us. I spent hours trapped in the house and she always loved music and so I showed her my music. One song in particular; she loved it and always liked me to play it so she could close her eyes and drift away as she hummed. _

_After she died I took the song off the soundtrack. For a long time I thought of her as I listened to it and it made me pretty sad and regretful of the time I wasted with her. But this will allow me to use this song, dedicate it to my Grandma Betty and have a cute songfic all in one. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Mina_

**Maybe It's True**

"**I remember what you wore on the first day  
you came into my life and I thought,  
"Hey, you know, this could be something""**

Vlad felt his lips twitch into a smile as he took in the sight of her. Her own lips seemed to have a similar war and he felt his insides churn in a painful way. Locking eyes; both held their breath and felt a gentle, firm, and irreplaceable chain latch onto their being. Vladimir Tod let himself smile as he met Mina Lovett.

**"'Cause everything you do and words you say  
you know that it all takes my breath away  
and now I'm left with nothing."**

Was she really doing this? Did he really want this? Vlad tried to block the temptation to slip his fangs into her flesh as she dangled her sweet veins before him. She then smiled as she spoke and told him that she didn't care about his vampirism. Her proximity to him was extremely hard to ignore and he knew that he had no reason to fret.

He had seen every male in Bathory High gawking over her and yet…here she was; in his arms, her own being wrapped over his shoulders and her sweet breathe on his face. She was with him now and she had admitted that she didn't care for any of them, only him.

"**So maybe it's true  
that I can't live without you  
and maybe two is better than one."**

He took several running strides in an attempt to draw her back. But she was already a simple form in the sky and his body ached. The deepest despair he had ever felt washed over him as her words sank in. She was a vampire.

He didn't have to worry about killing her, or watching her grow old without him, or hearing her scream of horror at his true nature. Because she was one too. And it was all his fault.

But nothing could wipe away the three words that she confessed just moments ago. He had felt his world come crashing down until it was only him and Mina standing in a world of darkness. The only light coming from the crystals in her eyes and the warmth of her heart.

"**There's so much time  
to figure out the rest of my life  
and you've already got me coming undone  
and I'm thinking two is better than one"**

Weren't vampires supposed to have amazing self-control skills? Well, what happened just then? Why did he let his lips meet the skin of her hands, neck, and face? She begged him to kiss her, finally. Yet when every nerve in his system pained at the joy of the idea, he pulled away.

"**I remember every look upon your face  
the way you roll your eyes  
the way you taste  
you make it hard for breathing."**

Months went by without much talking. Whatever was said between them was never pleasant in the slightest.

Mina's mind still raced with endless fantasies of one day being able to love Vlad.

Vlad's imagination drew back to their passionate kiss and he regretted hurting Mina.

Neither told the other, of course, but each knew that their bond was stronger. The connection grew in vigor each time they saw each other and their immortal hearts paused.

"**'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away  
I think of you and everything's okay  
I'm finally now believing."**

Tears rained down from his dark eyes and his heart seemed to come to a dead stand-still in his chest. His emotions darkened with the act of breaking Meredith's heart.

Suddenly, soft arms and the aura of sweet suffering held him tightly as he wept. Mina's life-less, vampire hands reached into him and pumped his heart with life. Bringing back to him whatever part of him that felt deceased.

"**That maybe it's true  
That I can't live without you  
And maybe two is better than one  
There's so much time  
To figure out the rest of my life  
And you've already got me coming undone  
And I'm thinking two is better than one"**

He walked away from her house, feeling crushed and full of regrets for all he has done to her over the years. Especially in the last year, he thought.

The pain of parting from her flustered to life but he was used to that. It was probably just the depression from her refusal that was hurting him so much. Then, like a breeze catching a bird's wing, he felt his heart grow lighter and felt drawn to turn back. As he slowed in his steps to contemplate the unknown feeling he heard the soft sounds of shoes hitting the pavement. Turning around to see who it was, Mina slammed into him and held him tight. He could feel the energy bouncing off her skin and soaking into his being as her soft breathe rushed against him through his shirt where her face was buried.

She forgave him and he smiled at that.

"**I remember what you wore on the first day  
You came into my life and I thought, "Hey,""**

Vlad saw her walk in through the door and it was as if that was how he was supposed to see her ever since the beginning. Her haunted, sparkling eyes beamed with the alluring red smile as her crimson and raven hair swayed as she came closer to him. A solid black dress hugged her every curve and made her ivory skin glow brightly.

Watching in speechlessness his thoughts raced back to that fateful evening when he met Mina Lovett. He could vividly recall every detail of her introduction to him and he found himself bursting with a smile as she entered his hospital room.

"**Maybe it's true  
That I can't live without you  
Maybe two is better than one  
There's so much time  
To figure out the rest of my life  
And you've already got me coming undone"**

Seeing her sing at the Snow Ball, dancing with her so close to him, and hearing her talk so easily about her suicide made him think. He knew Jonathan had a point, that Mina was connected to him, but he would never say 'mate'. The guilt and horror about her committing suicide for love in another life stabbed at his heart. Could that happen again?

"**And I'm thinking  
Ooh, ooh,  
I can't live without you  
'Cause, baby, two is better than one"**

The energy of Halloween sparked in their vampric veins, being too close to each other for either to resist. As they kissed for the first time in over a year, and they drew each other closer than they ever dared before, the fire in their souls blazed to life. At that moment, she didn't care about Meredith or Snow and he didn't care about Jonathan or Dracula. They needed that kiss to ensure that eternity really does exist, that love truly never dies.

"**There's so much time  
To figure out the rest of my life  
But I'll figure it out  
When all is said and done  
Two is better than one  
Two is better than one"**

Vlad paused and felt a surge of anger pounding in his muscles. Mina clad in the arms of Dracula was something he should have expected, should have seen coming. Instead of ripping the specters head off as he wished to, he saw the figure fade away into the creases of Mina's soul. As they drew together—must like she had with Dracula—it dawned on him.

The stronger he has felt for her recently has been timed perfectly with the increase of Dracula's involvement in her life. That his soul inside of her body only added to her tragic beauty. It added to the very thing that made Mina…well, Mina.

And as much as he loathed Dracula…he still liked the vampire she has become.

_Well, I hope all of you liked it! I had a spec of trouble with finding good memories. I realize some are repeated often in these songfics so I tried to add some different ones. _

_And I will probably have TAAT undated within the next week, I assure you. I'm close to done with it. _

_Review please?_


	8. I Promised You

_This is a request for Izzy-Crazy-Girl666. _

_As I listened to this song for the first time, I thought more over Dracula and his wife rather than Vlad and Mina. So…This songfic is different than most._

_It's "The Mortician's Daughter" by Black Veil Brides. _

_Disclaimer: I only own Mina._

**I Promised You**

"**I open my lungs dear  
I sing this song at funerals, no rush.  
These lyrics heard a thousand times, just plush.  
Baby boy you've held so tightly,  
This pain it visits almost nightly  
Missing hotel beds,  
I feel your touch."**

Vlad Dracula watched from afar as the object of his affection clutched her child. Wilhelmina rocked the baby Quincy Harker as his cries faded into soft sobs. His phantom pulsed inside her veins but she was unaware of it.

Were she still a vampire, as he wanted her to be, she would know that he lived inside her. She would be able to connect with him in her dreams and see his ghost as he followed her. Merely observing as her life continued on and she slowly learned to shut out her memories of him.

The ghost of Dracula stalked around her and reached his hand to brush her cheek. He could feel her clearly but she was unaware of the touch. He felt a sob and took a quick intake of breath for he knew the only dreams she had of him were nightmares.

"**I will wait dear  
A patience of eternity, my crush.  
A universal still, no rust.  
No dust will ever grow on this frame,  
One million years, I will say your name.  
I love you more than I can ever scream."**

Time passed slowly and he seemed unaware of it. Despite the centuries he lived through, he could clearly picture her as he saw her before she died.

Elizabeth. His beautiful, radiant, lovely Eliza.

The mere memory of her pleading voice calling to him, her lips fluttering against his, and warmth of her flesh…it only brought pain. Time was immaterial for an immortal such as him. But her name still brought a rush of love through his being as if he were a Romeo fawning over a lost Juliet.

"**We booked our flight those years ago,  
I said I loved you as I left you.  
Regrets still haunt my hollow head  
But I promised you, I will see you again, again."**

War often tears lovers apart. He was loyal to his nation and his God and could do nothing but obey. The Church wished for him to fight on God's behalf, but to do so he would abandon his dear Eliza.

He may die in battle or the castle in which she was safely kept could be attacked in his absence. He knew this but his duty to the country he ruled drew him to leave her.

He swore sweet promises upon his return and loving goodbyes filled with her tears. Now, centuries later, he regrets leaving her. He aches and laments his decision to part from his one joy in the world.

"**I sit here and smile dear.  
I smile because I think of you, I blush.  
These bleeding hollow dials, this fuss.  
The fuss is made of miles and travel,  
The roadways are but stones and gravel.  
A bleeding heart can conquer every crutch."**

Dracula scrambled over sloppy plans and schemes to find this Wilhelmina Murray before she could marry Jonathan Harker. He needed to meet her, to love her, and to bring back what memories of Eliza she could possibly hold.

He knew she was Eliza, he could feel her soul deep down in what little resemblance of a soul he contained.

Rather than creating a well-thought plan, he insisted on seeing her immediately. Smiling fondly at her likeness to Eliza, feeling his heart pound with life at her smile, Dracula fell in love all over again.

"**We booked our flight those years ago  
You said you loved me as you left me.  
Regrets still haunt your saddened head,  
But I promised you I will see you,"**

He knew he made the right decision no matter the tears she shed. Indeed, he would die and his body would no longer exist. Yet he would never leave her. No. He will stay with her in spirit until she withered away as she did in another life.

Still, it pained him more to see her sorrow than the dagger in his chest did. She plunged it the rest of the way through him at his request and kissed him. He fought the darkness of death to smile and promise her one last vow before he finally died.

"**We booked our flight those years ago  
I said I loved you and I left you  
Regrets no longer in my head,  
But I promised you and now I'm home again  
Again**

**I'm home again."**

Just as he had with Wilhelmina, he was once again a specter in the world. Unseen and unknown with little influence. Yet the baby he found he was blood-bound to brought a still to his ghost-like heart.

Her eyes were the same as Eliza's…Her hair and fair skin were the same as Wilhelmina's. He could hardly imagine the beauty she would grow into. The beauty that he would watch her grow into, he realized and smiled.

This time it would be different. This time the girl will be his. This time…Dracula will have his Eliza back and will be free to love her.

_Sooo….Was it any good?_

_It was different but I kinda like it. I'm not sure though. _

_I wanted Drac to summarize what it was like for him to be torn from Eliza, Wilhelmina, and when he saw Mina for the first time as a baby. _

_I imagine it like being reborn for him. Waiting in a "Davy Jones Locker" type place until Mina was born centuries later and he was brought back. I tried to imagine what he would do when he saw her and realized he was bound to her. _

_Yeah…so…review please?_


	9. Tonight Will Be The Night

_So after a long month of missing Mina and creating a new character and novel for you guys to drool over ;)…My friend and I chatted about what I would do next for TAAT. Now this idea I couldn't fit into the actual story so naturally it fit as a deleted scene. _

_This short is mostly about Alice and Cyryl, Mina's best human friend and her band's drummer. Some may remember the chapter with Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon that was when Cyryl asked Alice out…well…hehe let's check back on them. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, or Secondhand Serenade. All I own is Mina, Alice, Cyryl, Jon, Alec, Roby, Suck My Life and well…that's it. :3 Enjoy_

**Tonight Will Be The Night**

Mina sat chatting happily with Roby and Alec as Jonathan had his head resting on her lap. It was a simple, easy afternoon, one that the band had planned to rehearse or come up with new songs to do covers for. It didn't take them that long that they were missing a very important member of their band…The drummer.

"So sorry I'm late guys!" The missing member mentioned previously arrived just as the band were talking about a vampire-based song they have planned for the Crypt.

"Cereal, where have you been?" Roby chimed as the drummer took his seat at his drums.

"The kitchen, right next to the Cocoa-Puffs?"

The green eyed boy shot a glare at Alec and spun one drum stick in his hand. Jonathan sat up to get his soda just as Mina was standing to see Cyryl. He looked back and forth from her to the floor, seemingly unwilling to show his feelings. In light of this Mina stood to torture it out of him before she softly, so as to soothe it out of him, asked. "What's up with you, Cy?"

"Just…problems."

Roby cut in. "What kind of problems?"

"Girl problems?" Jon questioned after gulping down half his soda. Cyryl looked away with a pout.

"Alice problems?" Alec lifted an uninterested eyebrow and Cyryl seemed to crumble.

He met Mina's waiting eyes with a pitiful sigh. "Alright! Yeah, Alice problems. She is…Well, she's a bit mad at me. Fact is I screwed up and she is pretty pissed at me. She won't even let me text her."

"What happened?" Mina asked softly, her nerve breaking as he spoke.

"I don't wanna talk about it." He grumbled. "I want to get her back, guys. But she won't even look at me." As he ranted he waved his arms about hysterically which made it slightly hard for Mina to refrain from chuckling. "I don't know what to do…"

"Why not just apologize?" Mina suggested.

"Come on, Mina. You know better than that. She won't take it. She is too stubborn. I want to do something to really make her smile and forget how stupid I was." Mina nodded because she knew he was right.

Jon sat back on the couch where Mina once was. "I think I have an idea." All eyes looked at him to hear him. "Why not sing to her? It worked when you asked her out." He shrugged and Cyryl went into thought at that. "We could help out of course. We can rehearse it this weekend and perform it for her next week."

"She won't go to the Crypt as long as she's mad at me." Cyryl whined.

"Then do it at school." Alec spoke sarcastically and Mina clapped while adding a small bounce to her step.

"Oh that's a great idea!" She cheered. "During lunch you guys can play in the cafeteria! I'll stick this one out and stay with Alice so she won't be able to run off."

"That…doesn't sound too bad." Cyryl amended and Mina beamed.

"Now what song you wanna sing?" Roby asked as he picked up his guitar. Cyryl grinned and a clever gleam lit up his eyes. He knew just the right song.

"So there is no way you will forgive him?" Mina asked Alice a few days later. The two friends sat at their usual lunch table while Mina slurped down her home-made blood Jell-O. All the while she lifted a questioning brow at her friend who was persistently clad in purple.

Alice shook her head. "Nope."

"Can we bet a quarter on that?"

"Bet all the change you have! I won't change my mind." Alice huffed and crossed her arms as she picked at her pizza. Mina chuckled but did her best to hide her expressions behind her spoon as she ate. She tried to keep an eye out for her band members but found that Vlad was a much easier goal to set her eyes on. Any moment now…

Jonathan caught Alice and Mina's attention as he rolled up one of the many choir pianos to stand alongside the girls' table. "What's he doing…?"

"I don't know." Mina played dumb and Jonathan paid them no mind as he sat down and started to hit a few keys.

The tables around them grew silent upon hearing the music and soon the entire cafeteria was quiet. Alice looked around, confused and Mina only grinned at her. Once she saw Mina's smile her eyes grew to the size of baseballs. It was nearly perfect timing with the moment Cyryl came into view with a microphone to his lips and his eyes set on Alice's.

"The best thing 'bout tonight's that we're not fighting. Could it be that we have been this way before?" He walked across the cafeteria toward the blushing girl and the entire population of Bathory was watching intently. "I know you don't think that I am trying. I know you're wearing thin down to the core."

"I hate you." Alice glared at Mina who only laughed in return.

"But hold your breath because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you over again. Don't make me change my mind. Or I won't live to see another day. I swear it's true." Alice was fast to act by standing and trying to walk out of the cafeteria and away from Cyryl. Mina tried to keep her there but failed during the time that Mina was focusing more on her band…and Vlad. "Because a girl like you is impossible to find. You're impossible to find."

Cyryl followed closely behind Alice as she tried to make her way out. Instead of letting her pass the student body gathered around the exits and doorways to prevent her escape. "This is not what I intended." He insisted as Roby pushed his way through the crowd faintly strumming the guitar he held. Due to that Roby and Jonathan were able to chorus in with Cyryl. "I always swore to you I'd never fall apart. You always thought that I was stronger. I may have failed; but I have loved you from the start." The green-eyed drummer slid his way in front of Alice so he had her full attention. "Oh!"

Mina skipped her way up to Jonathan's piano and scooted her way onto the bench so he could take over on the main guitar. Meanwhile, Alec was setting up to play the drums in replacement for the occupied Cyryl.

"But hold your breath because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you over again." The full band went into motion. "Don't make me change my mind. Or I won't live to see another day. I swear it's true. Because a girl like you is impossible to find." Alice was completely trapped and therefore forced to listen to Cyryl as he serenaded her. "It's impossible."

"So breathe in so deep. Breathe me in." Cyryl grabbed Alice's hand and was leading her towards the small platform where Suck My Life was stationed. "I'm yours to keep. And hold onto your words 'cause talk is cheap." He faced her as the band died and all that was left was Cyryl's voice. "And remember me tonight when you're asleep."

"Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you over again." Mina began to tap the keys again as every student in Bathory High swayed in unison. "Don't make me change my mind. Or I won't live to see another day." Alice attempted her cover her face and avoid the staring crowds but Cyryl made certain that he could clearly see her face and eyes. "I swear it's true. Because a girl like you is impossible to find."

Suck My Life returned to the song as Cyryl kept on singing for Alice. "Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you over again." The moment Cyryl release her, Alice went back to the tables and crowds of her classmates. "Don't make me change my mind. Or I won't live to see another day. I swear it's true. Because a girl like you is impossible to find."

Cyryl ditched the band in hot pursuit of Alice and once he found her—thanks to the crowds singling her out—he went on his knees and overdramatically poured his heart out. The band cut off for the last time so everyone could wait and anticipate the couple's next moves.

"You're impossible to find."

A long, awkward moment passed where Cyryl only waited and Alice only stared. Everyone in Bathory High was hoping for either of them to make a comment or at least do something. "Just do it!" Alec shouted to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Kiss her!" Roby exclaimed after him.

Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, and teachers all eagerly agreed with Roby and Alec's ideas. This only caused Alice to blush further and Cyryl so laughed nervously. He stood and shifted clumsily as he held up the microphone again.

"Alice I'm so sorry—"

Without waiting for him to finish Alice attacked him with a forgiving kiss. Followed by a cheering crowd Mina comically played 'Here Comes the Bride' on her piano which led to everyone laughing and Alice shooting her a glare.

After he was done kissing Alice and sure that she had forgiven him he addressed the school. "Thanks, everyone. Go back to eating now!" He made a silly shooing motion with his hands and everyone…did as he said. The band got back together at Alice and Mina's previous table with a few people in the school coming up to congratulate them or just Cyryl in getting Alice back. The first thing Mina did when she was once again sitting next to her friend was smack her arm and grin evilly at her.

"You owe me a quarter!"

_I was intending for there to be Vlad-Mina-cuteness in here…_

_but that ended up not happening…_

_So…Raise your hand if you thought it was cute! I can assure you my friend loved it…I hope you guys did too…Review please? Have any suggestions for a songfic or anything just send a review with your idea and I shall! _

_Thanks for reading even if it had little to do with Vlad and Mina! :3 Love you guys! 3_


	10. So Oblivious

_Okay, this is a very long one! _

_This is ALL in Otis's POV! _

_It goes through many different moments Otis had with Mina from the moment he met her until well…you'll see. So these will go in order but they are lengthy. This can hopefully make things clearer as to why Otis seems to side with Mina in the Team Meredith/Team Snow/Team Mina thing. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mina! _

**So Oblivious**

Otis walked in to Mr. Craig's homeroom class knowing that his nephew was on the roster. He introduced himself to the class and tried with all his might not to make any obvious actions or remarks to the boy. Yet when he took an overview of the students his eyes landed on Vlad Tod for a moment longer than they should.

He knew their names, and he knew where they sat, so piecing together the 'who-is-who's wasn't so hard. Yet in the seat next to his nephew there sat a girl who was no on the roster. He took a quick mental count of the students and noticed that she was an extra. He tapped into her mind and instantaneously she grimaced while lifting her hand to her head. He exited her thoughts after finding out that she was a new student and today was her first day.

Mina Lovett…He scribbled her name on the roster until they printed a more updated one. He chanced a brief glance at her later on during their pop quiz on punctuation.

She was pale, as pale as any vampire he knew, and her lips were a natural rosy shade all to contrast her dark hair. She scribbled her answers here and there before she absentmindedly let her eyes flicker to the boy next to her. Her cheeks reddened when he noticed and smiled at her only to return to their quizzes without delay. Otis smiled; this girl had a crush on his nephew.

His nephew that was a vampire, no less.

He tried to read her mind again to be certain of what he already knew about her small infatuation. To see how long she knew him, if she knew what he was, things of that sort of nature. Again, she dropped her pencil and landed her hands on the side of her head when he didn't stop. She didn't seem aware of his mindreading, but she showed pain only when he did it.

It didn't matter; he got what he needed. Though, he would remember to keep that in mind as he got to know her better.

The only reason for his certainty? She was cousins with Vladimir's best friend. Also, she was getting quite the crush on him after only knowing him for a day…Otis had the strong feeling that the more contact he got with his nephew the more he would know of this girl.

Weeks passed and Otis was now passing out slips of paper to each student. It was his most recent project for the class but also a sneaky way for him to be sure that Vlad was a vampire. The boy would never tell him himself, so Otis had to find his own way.

He planned for Vlad to pick the 'vampire' slip from the hat. Yet when Otis walked toward his nephew he let the girl—Mina—pick first. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her take out the vampire slip. Mentally cursing, he had to change whatever inscription was on Vlad's paper. He boy started to protest his assignment and the girl instantly agreed with him. Apparently, it was something about her cousin never letting her know a single thing about vampires. She claimed she didn't know anything, at all, about them. Otis shot down her claim with a look at Vlad before dismissing the topic.

Months later Otis found he was nowhere near learning as much about Vlad as he wished he was. It was Valentine's Day and their project was due at the end of the month. Perhaps then he will have the right amount of information.

Otis sat leaning in his chair with his feet propped on the desk. There was a newspaper in his hands but he paid it little attention. He could hear his nephew in the hall on his way to class…talking with Mina. Again. Otis smiled.

"Extra clumsy today?" Vlad asked.

"You could say that." She said just as they were two steps from the door. Otis could even see them at this point and he found himself watching them with amused interest. "Vlad?"

"Yeah?"

The old vampire watched as the girl had a moment with the boy. She seemed too drawn to say or do anything but Vlad didn't notice. Otis realized that though the boy hadn't taken note of the moment he shared…he certainly felt it too. Did his nephew know that he stared at Mina just as often as she looked at him? Probably not.

"Mina…?" Vlad tried to get her back on topic and she went right to it.

She held up a card while nervously rambling. "Uh, yeah… I wanted to give you this…I just…wanted to say happy Valentine's Day." He took the card with a charmed smiled that she didn't see. Mina was busy curling and twisting her fingers together while he read the card. Otis noted that she wasn't even breathing in anticipation. He found her shyness quite cute, actually. Yet it was almost brave of her to give him the card. Most girls her age wait around for the boy to do the work, but not her. It reminded him of something…but he couldn't put his finger on it.

While rereading it, Vlad lifted his eyes to hers momentarily. "Thanks Mina."

"No…No problem." She didn't see what was painfully obvious to Otis; Vlad was blushing. Madly, in fact. "I—I just wanted to…yeah." She sighed in defeat.

Otis's heart warmed for the girl. They certainly had chemistry, of that he had no doubt. And after a few months Otis was willing to bet it could—and would—be so much more than that before Vlad becomes fully realized as the Pravus. If he was the Pravus, that is.

Meanwhile, Mina was trying not to look at Vlad in her embarrassment. Her eyes traveled all around them until they finally felt Otis's eyes on her. Otis saw—perhaps for the first time, he wasn't sure—the spectacular eyes of the human girl. She expressed her confusion on why he was staring at them but those eyes held something different. Something lost. Otis smiled, knowing of their young love-drama, and returned to his newspaper.

"Uh…Mr. Otis is watching us. Let's go inside." She changed the subject and scurried to the back of the room where she sat.

He tried not to chuckle at her desperate attempt to avoid the awkward Valentine. But as he pretended to read the newspaper he found his thoughts were trailing back to Mina. Well, technically, Mina's eyes.

He knew them from somewhere. They weren't hazel, nor did they change from green to blue. They were both colors at the same time. Did he know her parents? That was unlikely. Her cousin didn't have those eyes. Otis did know that she was an orphan…but he didn't kill any couples in a long while so he doubted that he could have eaten her parents. It wasn't so much the eyes, it was what they said to him that really hit him. If eyes could play music he imagined hers to play a sad, tortured, haunting melody. An ancient song, even, one that he might have known a long time ago. A song that Otis had long forgotten.

Either way, Otis had to 'talk' to Vlad about the book he confiscated from the boy during the class day. Mina waited for Vlad by the door but Otis gave her a look that he hoped told her to leave. If she didn't get the hint he would have to mind control her. Which he didn't like doing because it always seemed to give her a migraine.

As she took the hint and left, he spoke with Vladimir. But the boy seemed distracted by what he was seeing outside.

Otis saw Meredith talking to Henry—Henry was Vlad's best friend and Mina's cousin, that he knew—and she was giving the boy a card. Otis knew also that Vladimir had a crush on Meredith despite the attraction he felt towards Mina. So, when Vlad took out a box in the shape of a heart and tossed it in the trash as he stepped up to Otis's desk, the teacher gave him a sympathetic look. Otis looked down then back at the scene in the hall. Henry and Meredith were gone but Mina was there…hurt from what she just saw. Otis pretended not to see her as she ran off without waiting for Vlad.

While he spoke to his nephew, who didn't know he was talking to his uncle, he heard Henry shout out the girl's name in the hall. The simple word rang throughout the hall but Otis tried to pay it no mind. But he didn't fail to see Vlad snap to attention and almost turn green with guilt afterwards.

A few minutes before class was to start, Otis stood and taped a few pictures onto the board. One by one he placed vampire after vampire on the board and wondered why the few that were true Elysians were not killed or put on trial for revealing their nature to humankind. Vlad III the Impaler was placed in the center as probably the most well known vampire. He chuckled, knowing all too well the true story of the man in the portrait and the huge stir he caused to vampires worldwide. Next he put up a portrait of Erzsebet Bathory—The Blood Countess—who helped inspire Bram Stoker's _Dracula_. Another laugh, the town had the same name as one of the most famous female vampires. Then, he put up a picture directly underneath Vlad the Impaler, one that was related to him and so involved in the story he was to tell after Vlad and Mina gave their oral presentations.

Otis froze. He saw something he had never seen before. Well, he _had_ seen it but never really understood why it was so familiar to him. Eliza, Vlad the Impaler's wife, the woman who jumped into the river. No human knew her real name, but every vampire was well informed about the true events.

What he had just realized was so striking about the legendary woman he never knew…was her eyes. The painter of the portrait made a point in defining the dark green and light blue in her eyes. They weren't hazel, nor did they change from green to blue. They were both colors at the same time.

Just like Mina.

It had to be a coincidence. He knew that Dracula's wife was reborn as Wilhelmina Murray in the late 1800s. After that—and the Prince's death—the Dracula coven had searched endlessly for their prince and princess to return. Every vampire in Elysia knew that. He himself had seen Casimir (the head of the Dracula coven) search every vampire in Siberia for the one who possessed Eliza's soul.

After so many centuries they must have given up by now. There was no way that she could be reborn again, or the Prince for that matter, could there be? Also, he remembered, the coven was positive that they would return as vampires already. Mina wasn't a vampire, not even a drudge. But…

She did have her infatuation for Vlad who _was_ a vampire.

The bell rang for class to start and Otis buried the idea deep in his mind. He introduced vampires to his class and tried to get at Vlad by offering for him to pass garlic out to the class. The boy proclaimed he was allergic, just as Otis hoped he would. He didn't fight him as Vlad started his presentation first.

"My name is Vladimir Tod, and I'm… I'm a vampire. It's not easy, being a bloodsucking creature of the night. If I go out without my sunblock, I'll likely burst into flames. Aside from characters in books and stories that I can't prove to be true, I'm pretty sure I'm the only vampire left. It's kind of lonely, but at least I don't have to wait in long lines at the blood bank. If I concentrate, I can make my body float, and sometimes I can read people's thoughts. But for the most part, being a vampire bites."

It was short, it was simple, and it was exactly what Otis wanted to hear. As his nephew returned to his seat he called up the next project. "Miss. Lovett? Tell us what 'vampire' means to you."

She wasted no time in starting. "The word vampire often brings to mind images of bloodlust and immortal thirst. But we are much more than that. We vampires are civilized beings on this earth that are not only intelligent but also very kind and loving when hunger is aside. Yes, I do drink blood for my form of food. I am pretty certain the word 'blood clot' has completely different meanings to us than it does to you. And I can fly and read minds. Some of us are even able to seduce humans to do our bidding. I do not believe I am the last of my kind, simply that I am lost in a world of mortal take-over. Which is ironic, you'd think that since we are the immortal ones we should last longer huh? I am not the only one of my kind to not like killing, I am sure of that. Yet the hunger is often a chore that we often have to deal with in order to stay alive. I don't think we are bad people, just because we might have killed in our former life. I trust that we all are just tormented and misunderstood creatures of the night. Even though, to be honest. It does really suck to be me."

Otis's reaction was very similar to Vlad's; awe. She nailed vampires without even being one. She showed compassion for the creatures…something they don't usually get.

Again, Otis tried not to dwell on it as he began to talk about past vampires. The class seemed bored while the two in the back were anything but. Mina was eagerly hanging on Otis's every word while Vlad was much the same but showed he was well aware of every new fact the teacher said.

The very next day Otis was confronted by Mina. She walked right up to him the moment she came into class alone. Without Vladimir. "Mr. Otis?"

"Yes, Miss. Lovett?" He played on her formal talk with a smile.

She looked down. "Uh well, how was your dinner last night?" His smile fell and eyes narrowed. "I, uh I mean… Well I need to talk to Vlad. And he isn't here today. So…"

"Well he could quite possibly be out of the room at the moment, Mina." Otis tried to waltz around it and read her mind. He found that she knew he had dinner at Vlad's home and that Vlad view's him as a threat. That would not do at all. She shuttered from the pain as he read her thoughts. Again, Otis was intrigued, for no human had ever felt pain during a mindreading.

She shook her head determinedly. "No, Mr. Otis, he isn't. I would know. Trust me." He lifted an eyebrow. "But I just wanted to know how dinner was…if that question bothers you…?" Mina rubbed her temple to rid herself of the headache so Otis drew out.

"No, not at all. My dinner was fine." Then he brought on a challenging gleam to his eyes as he spoke. "Why exactly would you know where Vlad is or isn't?"

She seemed put off by the question. "Oh, well I…I kinda just have a feeling."

"Explain."

She became as still as a statue but the bell rang for class to start before she could answer Otis's query. "I am going to sit down now."

Otis helped Henry onto the couch of Vlad's home after their trip to Stokerton. He human drudge had fallen fast asleep and Vlad claimed there was no way he was going back home once he was so asleep. Otis asked if there was someone in his family to call to get him or if they could drop him off. Vlad immediately started to call Mina.

From what Otis heard of the conversation, Mina was just as out-of-it as her cousin when awakened. It didn't take her too long to arrive and Otis rushed to get the door. As soon as he opened the door for her Mina fell right into his arms, content in going back to sleep. He caught her skillfully and carried her to the living room where her cousin was. He placed her seated up beside the human and stepped back.

Vlad rushed over to her and shook her shoulders tenderly. "Mina? Mina?" He called softly but she barely opened her eyes. "We want you to help us take Henry home."

"Blad, did you know you have awesome hair?" She mumbled before falling back asleep. Vlad stood tall and sighed in defeat. Otis busied himself with laying Henry down on Mina's lap with a knowing smile.

"Just let them sleep here. They are too tired to go home." Otis said and Vlad agreed.

On the night of the Freedom Fest Otis waited outside his beat-up car for Vlad to bring Mina and say goodbye. In the last weeks of school Otis had learned a lot about Mina from Vladimir. He was almost positive that Vlad and Mina could possibly be mates.

Mates were once normal but eventually the Council of Elders deemed that the term 'mate' was used by vampires to get out of mistakes or trials that would likely kill them otherwise. If a vampire revealed their nature to a human and did not wish the change them, they only had to claim them as their mate. After the chaos Dracula caused, Em decided she had had enough of vampire mates. Now, true mates were rare. And Otis believed that his nephew found his mate before he even turned fourteen.

Otis also knew how she got her necklace from an old man with a Romanian accent. There was little doubt that the man was from the Dracula coven—maybe even Casimir himself. He insisted that Vlad should tell her of the fate. But the boy was certain that she could live without vampires and she was safest away from them. As true as that might be, Otis knew that if she really was a mate…she wouldn't have a choice.

"Vladimir, I see you convinced her. Mina, I am glad you are able to make it."

"Hello, Mr. Otis."

"Please, call me Otis. I'm not your teacher anymore." She shrugged and he smiled. "I wanted to speak with you before I left, and I never found the chance in class. And I fear you would interfere if I told you sooner. From what Vladimir has told me about you, I know you would do just that."

Mina looked at Vlad. "You talked about me?"

Vlad tried not to blush along with her. "You seem to know a lot of vampires. Your essay was remarkable to young girls as you interpret them. I was shocked." Mina blinked.

"Thank you." She shrugged again. "They are misunderstood creatures. You said you wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes. Vlad may we have a moment?" His nephew complied. "Mina, how long have you known Vlad or about vampires?"

"Uh, I met Vlad this year. I came to Bathory almost a week before you did sir. And I lived with my cousin Joss before hand, and he never let me do anything if it involved vampires." Otis committed that to memory. "I wasn't allowed to watch movies, read books, or do anything if it had vampires in it. So when I learned all I know this year, from Vlad. But I did do a lot of studying on my own."

Rather than commenting on her explanation he set his eyes on her necklace. "Let me see that." She did not remove it but let it rest atop her hand for him to see clearer. As he leaned closer to inspect it he was made to hold his breath to ignore her sweet blood. It was a warning that his nephew had advised him with earlier. "Ah, where did you get it?"

"In Romania," Otis stood tall, the Dracula coven lived there. "When I lived there with Joss. This old guy gave it to me."

"Yes, I believe Vlad told me the story. I just had to hear it for myself."

"What is it you want to tell me?" She brought the conversation back to its origins without an ounce of leniency. Otis chuckled as he took out a picture of Count Orlok, the vampire from Nosferatu.

"Examine this picture, every detail. And when you get home search the name Count Orlok. When you find this picture with the name you are in the right place. This is my last lesson before I leave Bathory. It is of the upmost importance that you research this in great detail Mina, and that Vlad not know of your studies."

"Why not? Can't he help me find this Orlok guy?"

"No. This is a secret between you and me. Am I clear?"

She nodded but the suspicion in her eyes only grew. "Mr. Otis, what part do you play exactly in the secret Vlad keeps from me? I swore to wait until he was ready, but I fear he never will be."

"I am strongly involved, Mina." He grinned. "And he will, if not I am positive you will meet the fate that the secret carries for you."

"I'm involved too?"

"Yes." He sighed. "Vlad may not be open to the idea yet you are." He held a pointed finger up to make his point. "Do not forget that, and keep this between us. And do not be so blind to the hidden truth. What lies in your future, and was in my past, along with Vlad's present; our strength comes from those not believing in us." He saw her eyes widen but he paid it no mind as brought his nephew back among them.

He reminded her again of their secret just as Vlad returned to them. He said a goodbye to them both before asking to talk to Vlad privately.

As Otis arrived in the clearing he was already biting into his wrist so he could feed his nephew. The gleaming stake in the boys' chest filled Otis with dread. The slayer boy had run off and D'Ablo scurried away long ago with his minion in tow. After he was at least mildly comforted that his kin might live he handed him over to the ambulance full of vampires. Then Otis's eyes landed on Mina.

She was unconscious and seemingly unharmed. Otis instinctively listened for a heartbeat as he made his way to her. He heard nothing.

"Mina…" He beckoned as he lifted her limp body into his arms. Her head fell to the side and he glimpsed the two puncture wounds in her neck. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't pulsing. She wasn't moving. She wasn't alive.

Otis cradled her head in his arm and used his free hand to move her hair from her face caringly. She was deathly still and Otis felt his heart break for Vlad. D'Ablo would kill the girl just to spite Vlad. He knew him well enough. Yet just as Otis ran the tips of his fingers along her necklace her eyes shot open. He felt his breath hitch but her eyes were closed as soon as they were opened. He listened…her heart was beating yet in a different rhythm. Her chest rose and fell with oxygen again yet it was shallow as if she were in a deep sleep.

Mina's skin was as white as snow, her lips still that ever rosy color was now prominent, and Otis shuttered. He knew that behind those lips were now fangs. Behind her closed lids her eyes were now able to make a man's heart melt. Underneath the beautiful young woman's façade was now a fresh, new vampire ready to kill.

Otis lifted her in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, and took her personally to the Stokerton Hospital. She was now a vampire…and he made the decision right then that he would be her vampric guardian.

He only wondered why he hadn't predicted this would happen before.

Through Otis and Vlad's letter he found that Vlad had no idea Mina liked him. He hadn't the slightest clue that she was probably in love with him. He refused to accept that she will one day know he was a vampire. Otis was always amazed at how oblivious his nephew could be.

Now he thought about how oblivious he was allowing himself to be.

Rather than waking her he found himself writing a letter to a friend of his that was once a member of the Romanian coven. Not the Dracula coven, but still rather close when information was involved. The letter spoke solely of Mina Lovett and all Otis Otis knew about her. Maybe his acquaintance would know the vampire who gave Mina her necklace. Or maybe…the letter's reply would tell him something he didn't want to know about the girl's fate.

Something like being Dracula's puppet.

_So…Review!_

_Oh, and the next one will be a songfic with Vlad, Mina, and Dracula! :D_


	11. Blood Thirsty

_NOTE BEFORE READING!_

_This songfic is different and weirder than the rest. None of the words are actually sung. The entire song is in the character's minds and thoughts. Normal dialogue is the same as it's always been. _

**Vlad: Bold**

_Mina: Italics_

Dracula: Underlined

_If you see anything that is both styles of font then it is both those characters at the same time. It's pretty simple but if you have questions just ask. Vlad is just thinking it all, so is Mina, but Dracula is actually talking. But since he is a ghost…we can't hear him. So…ya. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own CoVt, Dracula, Interview With A Vampire, or I Kissed A Vampire. They all belong to their respective owners. _

_Song used: Just A Little Peck from I Kissed A Vampire. _

**Blood Thirsty**

Where was Henry when Vlad needed him? Lately, it has becoming increasingly obvious that Henry was purposefully throwing Vlad and Mina into awkward scenarios. Something about 'just wanting to see what happens', but Vlad knew what Henry was waiting for.

It wasn't something Vlad willingly tried to think about. Actually, he often tried his hardest _NOT_ to think about it.

Maybe it was her delicious blood as it swam under the ivory of her skin. Perhaps it was the way she could possess his body, soul, mind…and heart? Or was it how she could say one word and everything around him disappears—sort of like someone turned off the all the lights and she was the only glowing object in the galaxy. Whatever it was…Vlad was too intertwined with Mina to be around her _alone_.

Now Vlad and Mina were abandoned at his house just after Henry called them and claimed he had student council stuff he had to take care of. Both the freshman immediately called her other cousin Joss to see if he would rather be with them for a movie or video games. Joss sadly told them that he had studying he needed for a class run by an evil teacher of some sort. Vlad and Mina both had nothing to busy themselves with like the McMillan boys and knew they would be bored without the other.

"So…How about a movie?" Vlad suggested and Mina smiled.

"_Interview_?" She hinted and Vlad directly went for _Interview With A Vampire_. One of Mina's favorites. After her vampire project in Otis's class last year, Vlad found that he and Mina could spend endless hours watching vampire movies and instead of watching them over and over again, they found that they liked to have debates about the film.

It was something Vlad liked about Mina. She was open-minded about vampires in all their ways, shapes, and forms—Except Edward Cullen; Mina couldn't stand him.

"I feel bad for Lestat." She muttered. "Sure he did some wrongs and annoyed the hell out of Louis but Lestat loved him and Claudia. I think they could have been a little less judgmental of the life he gave them—a life they chose—than hating on him for their own self-caused misery."

"I guess you have a point." Vlad shrugged.

"Louis agreed to be changed, and he only wanted him to stay so he created Claudia. It is love at one of its most desperate phases… changing another's life to keep it alive."

Vlad looked at her then. She had her legs curled up under her on the couch with her knees towards him. Everything about her was facing him but her eyes were on the screen. She met his eyes, noticing that he was staring, and blushed. Rather than sitting in the awkward air he had created she stood with a mumbled explanation that she was getting a soda.

She stepped over her discarded backpack but did not see Vlad's extended legs and biffed it over them. As she flew through the air destined to land on her face Vlad reached out with unintentional speed to catch her. He yanked her in towards himself and the safety of the plush couch. He huffed when she landed right on him and instantly pulled back with flushed cheeks. She supported her arms on the couch back on either side of him and her legs folding over his in a tangled mess. From saving her fall his arms were still on her waist and he had thought a bruise would spring up on his shoulder and her face from where they impacted. When she had pulled back they were still only inches away from each other.

Mina blushed that color he loved. His mind drew blank and all but his heart was frozen—the organ itself was hot with warmth and beating against his ribs. His living room had melted and the movie had gone mute in his ears.

Unwillingly, he wanted her lips on his, her body close to his, her eyes locked with his, and her heart beating with his. Vlad wasn't aware that he was moving closer to her until he could feel the tingle of her breath on his mouth and the warmth of her blood radiating from her skin. His fangs throbbed with each pulse of her plasma and his mouth grew dry. His lips parted as he let his eyes slip closed with the image of Mina awaiting his kiss imprinted in his memory. Yet he was not sure if his lips were parting to kiss her…or bite her. Both were problematic.

"No, we can't." He pried himself away with a horrible pain in his gut.

Mina blinked and pulled back, hurting his guilt even more, and she looked more than irritated. Stumbling off of him and the couch she went to the kitchen without a word or glance.

He groaned at her distance and frustratingly held his head. **"I took a chance and made her feel like prey. I made my move and now she's walking away."** Vlad shook his head.** "If there was only some way that I could explain. If I tell her the truth she'll think I'm insane."** He stood up and could see her standing in the kitchen, clearly puzzled and flustered.** "The sad end to this love story; your best friend is bloodthirsty!"**

_"I don't understand why he's avoiding me 'cause it's in the air; sweet chemistry."_ She thought to herself and tried to make herself stop blushing. A smile fell on her lips and she felt something kick to life deep inside her.

Dracula was an unseen, unknown, and unheard of ghost trailing after Mina that she was still unaware of. He circled her, knowing that she could sense him but did not understand why she felt that way when she was alone. "The nap of your neck and the curve of your breast; it's the taste that he longs to test." He whispered in her ear and shifted her neck to the side habitually and he grinned, looking back at the Pravus in the doorway. The boy could not see him either.

**"Kissing her a fantasy that's bitten my anxiety."** Vlad lamented and stepped into the kitchen towards her. She was well aware of him as he stood close behind her.

"Just let yourself go." Dracula pressed as Vlad gently turned Mina to face him, which she easily complied. "Feel the beating of her heart." Their bodies pressed against each other as each and every feeling came crashing back to Vlad.

_**"I can't say no."**_ Both drew their faces closer though both were trying desperately to fight it.

Dracula smirked wickedly. "Because you're falling hard. Sweet immortality…" He was on the other side of Mina from Vlad, whispering into her thoughts.

_"Has got the best of me."_ She swooned and saw a tiny flash of purple in Vlad's black eyes.

His arm snaked around her to support her back against him while his other hand sought out the ivory of her neck. Mina allowed her arms to brace herself onto him and latch onto his shoulders. _**"'Cause you're irresistible, irresistible, irresistible." **_

"Just let yourself go. Let yourself go." 

Mina did not rush as she waited for Vlad to move closer. _"Just a little more." _

"**A little kiss."** He told himself.

"_Just a little peck."_ Mina closed her eyes.

Dracula chuckled mischievously. "It's just your neck."

"**Just trust me."**Vlad mimicked Mina and let his eyes close and body react on its own. Vlad felt his lips touch her flesh and the fiery delight of it caused his mind to swirl with red images of blood…and Mina. His fangs were full and sharp as they begged to stab into her veins and taste her scrumptious blood.

They were immobilized like that for some time. Mina was confused but decided not to deny the situation. Vlad relished in his temptations up until he realized that he was not kissing her lips…

Iridescent purple eyes flashed open as he broke away from her neck. He stood straight and took in their positions. He had leaned her back in a dip with only one arm holding her up, and his lips had hungrily kissed her neck. Looking over her throat he saw no blood and no wounds—only her necklace. He hadn't bitten her.

Dracula was proud of his work but disheveled when he saw that Vlad did not go through with his blood lust.

Being a phantom was difficult, and often a headache with these two mates so reluctant to face their fate. Mina was acceptant of anything and everything concerning Vlad thanks to Dracula influencing her. Yet as long as she remains human and oblivious to her reincarnations, all he can do is influence her and appear in minor dreams. Vlad, on the other hand, fought vigorously to resist Dracula's lovely little protégé.

Vlad shook his head. "I—I'm sorry." He lifted Mina back up and she blinked in bewilderment. "That was…weird. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said after she recovered. "I've seen weirder."

She lovingly brushed his bangs from his eyes and he felt her touch scorch his soul. He almost cried out from the tragic pleasure of the contact.

"Loser, I'm home!" They both went rigid at the sound of Henry's remix of 'Lucy, I'm home'. Vlad snatched his arm away from her and Mina let her hands fall. She spun to pop open her can of soda and Vlad decided to raid his refrigerator as Henry found them. "The Magnificent Henry has arrived!"

"Hey, dude." Vlad said as he tossed him his favorite snack: Poptarts.

"What have you guys been up to?" Henry asked while his full concentration was solely placed on the wrapper of his food. There was no way for him to see the look Vlad and Mina shared out of the corners of their eyes. "I see you started _Interview_?"

"Yeah…" Vlad started.

Henry looked up with a quizzical brow. "Anything happen without me?" Henry was no idiot and could clearly catch Vlad's embarrassment.

"Just snack time." Mina cleared her throat to save Vlad from Henry's tense look. "We all know it's your favorite too. We stuffed our faces right when we got home." Her cousin looked between the two with heavy suspicion. Yet he knew that neither would ever admit to what had occurred so he was smart to wait and ask them individually later. But he could always try…

"So…Nothing at all?"

"Nope."

"Nothing."

Vlad and Mina defied the urge to share a glance and sly smile. Dracula stood between them unknown to any of them. He rolled his eyes at them. The ghost vampire sighed when he thought what his life—or afterlife—had come to since he returned and was bound to Mina. "Bothersome Baby Vampires." His words went unheard as the teenagers returned to enjoying their time together for as long as they still could.

_Any questions, ask in a review! _

_Any suggestions for a songfic, a scene you wish you had in more detail, a scene you wish you had in a different Point of View, or perhaps all three…Toss it in a review!_

_Hoped you enjoyed it, by the way, the song used is epic! You should have listened to it while you read it! ;3 I love it!_

_Review please _


	12. Sorry

_This is for Irish-scene-queen! I actually really enjoyed this song and even got it on my Ipod thanks to this suggestion. Keep them coming guys! I know I take forever but I love making 'em!_

_This is "Sorry" by Buckcherry. I don't own them or CoVT. _

**Sorry**

_I had a lot to say; was thinking on my time away._

He stood before her and feebly stuttered her name. She spun around and was in the same boat as he was; speechless. He invited her to have lunch with Henry and him; considering Meredith was out sick. With his girlfriend gone Mina had no reason to be avoiding him…Right?

_I missed you and things weren't the same._

He asked her to hang out with them but she seemed lost in her own world. When she finally zoned back in, she stated that she absolutely could not hang out with them. She would not say _who_ she was spending her time with. She refused to answer where she was going or what she was doing. Vlad felt a sickening feeling settle in his gut the farther she denied him her presence. Mina wouldn't talk to him like she used to. Things had changed and it was his entire fault. She wouldn't be this way if he hadn't chosen Meredith.

'_Cause everything inside it never comes out right, and when I see you cry it makes me want to die._

He yelled and shouted at her. Of course, he didn't mean to. At least that is what he told himself during that blinding moment of anger and hurt. He couldn't believe what he had done; what he was doing. He almost drank from Meredith…and Mina stopped him. Now, instead of thanking her, he was screaming at her in hatred. Each and every word he instantly regretted until she stomped out of his house with pain engraved in her soul.

_I'm sorry I'm bad. I'm sorry you're blue. I'm sorry about all things I said to you, and I know I can't take it back._

She left his mind to return to her sleep and Vlad lay in his bed to think. She had forgiven him but somehow he did not feel at all better. He knew quite well that Mina was not fond of Meredith and she saved her anyway and he repaid her with even more pain. He rolled over and buried his face in his hands.

_I love how you kiss. I love all your sounds, and Mina, the way you make my world go round. I just wanted to say I'm sorry._

When Meredith was occupied with her lunch or talking with Henry, Vlad would let his eyes wander to where Mina sat. She laughed with her friends and a white haired boy said something that made her pout. His eyes focused on her lips and a fleeting feeling of kissing her in the falling snow of Siberia. But then Mina looked up at caught him staring at her so he turned his face away and pretended to find Meredith's sandwich interesting. Mina didn't believe him.

_This time I think I'm to blame. It's harder to get through the days. You get older and blame turns to shame._

A brief rendezvous in the closet with his girlfriend should have made him happy. Don't get him wrong, it did as it happened. But when Snelgrove opened the door and revealed them to the hallway he couldn't help but feel the eyes on him. No, it was more than that, he felt something else. When he saw Mina she shook her head and walked away knowing that her disappointment hurt him just as bad as making out with Meredith hurt her.

_Cause everything inside it never comes out right, and when I see you cry it makes me want to die._

Leech. Once he said it he wanted to take it back. He called her a leech. It was the one word he could call her that would hurt her and he knew it well. It was the cruelest insult Vlad could ever say and he said it. It was almost like he shot her, the pain visible as she broke down her barrier and cried.

_I'm sorry I'm bad. I'm sorry you're blue. I'm sorry about all things I said to you, and I know I can't take it back._

Meredith stood at his side clinging to his arm for another dance but he couldn't take his eyes off Mina's retreating form. It was made clear that she was still angry with him. She spoke civilly with Meredith and they even seemed like…friends. He wanted to go after her. He wanted to grab her and make her see how sorry he was. Though, his pretty pink girlfriend tugged at his arm and he had to remember he was taken and it wasn't by the girl who was his mate.

_I love how you kiss. I love all your sounds, and Mina, the way you make my world go round. I just wanted to say I'm sorry._

Black seemed to suit her best, at least to Vlad. He would have never thought she could look so gorgeous in purple. Being a vampire himself Vlad never understood why human girls seemed to fall at the vampire's feet in movies and books. Now, he felt like one of them because he was staring at Mina like a lovesick puppy. Other vampires he met didn't make that happen. Then again, Mina wasn't like every other vampire he met. After all, what vampire still has birthdays?

_Every single day I think about how we came all this way. The sleepless nights and the tears you cried. It's never too late to make it right._

Just when he thought he was threatened Mina came and attacked Ignatius. They fought all over the ground, Mina clawing and Ignatius struggling. They both stood and she hissed and came in between Ignatius and Vlad. When Ignatius did not listen to her she lunged at him and screamed. Vlad fought again until Ignatius ran off. When he returned to Mina he saw her hands were crimson, her blood scented the air, and she was wounded. Vlad would never forget how he felt when Mina took that knife for him.

_I'm sorry I'm bad. I'm sorry you're blue. I'm sorry about all things I said to you, and I know I can't take it back._

What has he done? She lied to him. She spent her nights at a club. She was the lead singer of a band. She had a coven now. She was a reincarnate. She had a family. She had a boyfriend. It was all his fault. Has he really been so cut off from her life not to notice? He made her go through all of this alone. He left her alone.

_I love how you kiss. I love all your sounds, and Mina, the way you make my world go round. I just wanted to say I'm sorry._

He was wrecked when she told him to leave. It took all his guts to go to her house and apologize for his stupidity. But he was denied. Then…she was hugging him…and forgiving him. It was hard for him to say those words, those two tiny words, but she knew he meant them. He was sorry.

**Author's Note: I have a few more planned. These will be…**

**Broken by Seether feat. Amy Lee for **

**VladxMina**

**It Was You, when Mina discovers she's crushing on Vlad, for BrianaAmarysJohannaLilyPotter.**

**VladxMinaxDracula**

**What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts for Azyvli.**

**VladxMina**

**Into Your Arms by The Maine for my friend Smitty (you know her as Alice) but this songfic can NOT be posted until I am completely done with TAAT. So be patient. **

**VladxMina**

**Taking Over Me by Evanescence for…well, me. **

**DraculaxMina**

**Never Alone by Barlow Girl for me. **

**DraculaxMina**


	13. Love Like Wine

_**I totally forgot about this songfic! Now that I look at it, it could have been A LOT better! But I always liked this song for Vlad's feelings towards Mina. I'm working on the next chapter and the next songfics that are mentioned at the bottom of this update. Hopefully I'll post again today. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod or "Better Than Drugs" but I DO own Mina. **_

_**Mind you, I love the song but think this is too crappy to post. I'm just doing it so I can use the file for another songfic so I won't have SO many files under TAAT on my laptop. **_

**Love Like Wine**

_Feel your every heart beat, _

_feel you on these empty nights._

Vladimir Tod couldn't get his mind off of Henry's cousin. The strong fluttering of her heart and the sweet blood escaping it. Halloween night was a night to remember.

_Calm the aches, _

_stop the shakes. _

_You clear my mind._

"You okay, Vlad?" She asked him softly as he closed his eyes. He smiled and looked at her after he nodded. She offered a sweet smile back and continued to write down names of famous vampires.

_You're my escape from this messed up place. _

_Cause you let me forget._

_You numb my pain._

Her deep green and bright blue eyes gazed up at him and he couldn't help but smile. She was his friend, accepted him for all his faults. She did not know he wasn't human…She allowed him to be…free of troubles.

_How can I tell you just all that you are? _

_What you do to me._

He held her tightly after his horrible nightmare. Seeing her dripping with blood, and that blood on his hands… it was terrible. And yet, even as he dreamed of murdering her…she comforted him. "Everything will be alright."

_You're better than drugs! _

_Your love is like wine! _

_Feel you coming on so fast. _

_Feel you coming to get me high. _

_You're better than drugs! _

_Addicted for life!_

_Feel you coming on so fast. _

_Feel you coming on to get me high._

He chased after her and grabbed her arm. She tried to fight him but he held her tightly. He told her he would tell her the truth…later. He told her he needed to have her there. As she turned away, her long hair flowing behind her, her sweet scent nearly made him drunk with hunger. That is when he remembered why he couldn't tell her. Ever.

_Feel you when I'm restless. _

_Feel you when I cannot cope._

Another year, another Halloween, and a new Mina. Mina had kissed his cheek and left without a hint as to why. She was his friend, one of his closest friends, nothing else. But then why does his whole body have chills starting from where her lips met his cheek?

_You're my addiction. _

_My prescription. _

_My antidote._

Had she just told him to kiss her? In a twisted sort of way…she did. His face burned and his mind swam with ideas…thoughts he never wanted to imagine. Thoughts he couldn't even fathom with Meredith and yet they came so easily with Mina.

_You kill the poison._

_Ease the suffering._

_Calm the rage when I'm afraid to feel again._

She was mad at him? What had he done? All he had ever done to her was lie, trick, imagine murdering, and kept secrets from her. That's all. But he's positive she knew nothing about that. She turned him away and when he was alone again he noticed the small drops of her blood on his hands. His greatest desire…His greatest poison.

_How can I tell you just all that you are? _

_What you do to me._

He didn't like begging. Not even to Mina. But he needed her help, and her warm embrace to help keep him sane. Three months was too long without her smile, laughter, and stubbornness. But she stopped the car and told him her troubles. He had never listened before and as he held her in his arms he realized—she needs him too.

_You're better than drugs! _

_Your love is like wine! _

_Feel you coming on so fast. _

_Feel you coming to get me high. _

_You're better than drugs! _

_Addicted for life! _

_Feel you coming on so fast._

_Feel you coming on to get me high._

"No!" Vlad shouted as he ran towards Mina. She was scared, helpless…and in danger. D'Ablo would kill her…or worse. His heart ached at the mere thought and just as he was about to fight D'Ablo for her safety he saw the agony on her face as he fell to the ground. Bleeding. Dying. He had wished he could have saved her.

_How can I tell you just all that you are? _

_What you do to me._

That day was like he saw her for the first time all over again. She talked to him, held him tight, and most of all she entranced him. Something was different about her. Something in the air that surrounded her. But he liked it.

_Feel your every heart beat. _

_Feel you on these empty nights. _

_You're the strength of my life…_

I watched her fly away from me, hurt and broken. I tried to follow her but I couldn't. So I ended up watching her fly into the night sky. I couldn't believe it, any of it. Mina was a vampire. She had been for nearly a month or two. But what shocked me more was: Mina was in love with me.

_You're better than drugs! _

_Your love is like wine! _

_Feel you coming on so fast._

_Feel you coming to get me high. _

_You're better than drugs!_

_Addicted for life! _

_Feel you coming on so fast. _

_Feel you coming on to get me high._

I hurt her. She loves me and I hurt her. Even though she acts like she hates me, and we fight more than we flirt I know she loves me. I can feel it in the center of my very being. It makes my lungs breath and my sun set but I can't bring myself to love her. She is annoying, stubborn, jealous, rude, unafraid, cruel, and unquestionably and uncontrollably…addicting.

_**So…?**_

_**Yeah, I know, it sucks. **_

_**ANYWAY…..**_

_**Here's the list for the next few updates…**_

_**Taking Over Me by Evanescence for…well, me.**_

_**DraculaxMina**_

_**Broken by Seether feat. Amy Lee for**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**It Was You, when Mina discovers she's crushing on Vlad, for BrianaAmarysJohannaLilyPotter.**_

_**VladxMinaxDracula**_

_**What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts for Azyvli.**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Never Alone by Barlow Girl for me.**_

_**DraculaxMina**_

_**Into Your Arms by The Maine for my friend Smitty (you know her as Alice) but this songfic can NOT be posted until I am completely done with TAAT. So be patient.**_

_**VladxMina**_


	14. Taking Over Me

_Taking Over Me _

_Dracula and Mina_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Dracula, or Evanescence. _

_Song: 'Taking Over Me' by Evanescence._

_Warning: some religious references, if you'd be offended, don't read. It talked about Lilith and Judas Iscariot being vampires. If that bothers you, I'm sorry. I am not trying to push any beliefs on you but this is how things work in TAAT so I'm sorry but I refuse to change it. _

**You don't remember me but I remember you. **

**I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you. **

**And who can decide what they dream? **

**And dream I do… **

**I believe in you. **

**I'll give up everything just to find you. **

**I have to be with you to live**

**To breathe. **

**You've taken over me. **

**Have you forgotten all I know and all we had? **

**You saw me mourning my love for you and touched my hand. **

**I knew you loved me then. **

**I believe in you. **

**I'll give up everything just to find you. **

**I have to be with you to live**

**To breathe. **

**You're taking over me. **

**I look in the mirror and see your face. **

**If I look deep enough so many things inside that are just like you are taking over. **

**I believe in you. **

**I'll give up everything just to find you. **

**I have to be with you to live**

**To breathe. **

**You're taking over me. **

She could remember him from long ago. His soft whispers and his tender touches were clear in her memory. Yet nothing was more prominent than his promise. "I will be with you forever." It had sounded sweet and loving then especially when he kissed her soon after. Things seemed so much simpler back then.

Mina's past lives saw his promise to have drastically different meanings than the one that plagued her. Elizabeth saw it as a vow of love. Wilhelmina saw it as a threat of their eternal existence together. Neither theory is correct to what Dracula meant—at least it wasn't anymore.

"I will be with you forever." He said, again.

She looked at him with stoic features. Why did he insist on doing this? She was not dense, she understood her new position, but she needed time to accept it. After all, being blood-bound to Dracula was not something every high school junior had to deal with. He needed to back off and give her some space. Then she realized; he couldn't. He could never go away. He could never leave her alone. He wasn't just a person stalking her. He was inside her head—literally.

"_You don't remember me but I remember you_." He stepped closer to her. He was slow and careful not to frighten her. Yet she was already frightened. She was terrified.

She tried to wake up but found that she was very much awake. This was not a dream. She really was standing in her room at Casimir's house talking to a man who has been dead for six hundred years. He kept moving towards her and she felt her backside hit her bed. Crawling on over her covers she sat cross-legged.

Her hands went to her head and clasped it tightly. "Wake up! He isn't there! Wake up, you crazy leech!" Her fists pounded her skull with her eyes shut tight.

"You are not a leech." She flinched at his voice and started to shake when she felt an icy cold substance slip around her wrists. It was not quite solid or a draft of wind. It was a mixture. It was him trying to stop her. She shot her head up to look at him. "Never call yourself that."

"I'm crazy. I'm an insane vampire." She sobbed, studying him in her misery.

"No you are not. I have watched you grow into a strong, young woman. You are a vampire, but you are not crazy. You have an eternity's worth of a future for you." Somehow his words were making her feel better even if his ice-cold eyes were unnerving and he was not smiling in the least. Then, just as she noted that, his lips curved into a smirk. "We have so much ahead of us."

A chill went by her. She buried her face in her hands and let tears come from her eyes without a care. He may be Dracula—prince and warlord—but she did not see him as a god. He would see her tears. He would see what he was doing to her.

"What more can you do with me? You already possessed me. What are you waiting for? Just take my body and be off with it!"

He hesitated. "I am not bound with you just to steal your body."

"Then what?

"I have been attached to you since you were born. I came back from the abyss of Wilhelmina's death to see you. You were an infant at the time but I could not leave you. Since then, what you felt I felt. My blood runs through your veins." She stopped crying but her face was still wet. "I am a part of you."

"You've been there all along." She rephrased, looking up to see him nod. "Why now?"

"I cannot be sure. Only since you met the Tod boy have you been able to dream of me. You remembered more when you were turned but there was little I could do. And I swear to you there were a variety of instances in which I wished I could do something. Anything."

"You…wanted to pr—protect me?"

He nodded again. "These powers are new to me as they are new to you. I see no reasoning behind what happened in New York."

"You mean the possession." It took a lot for her to stammer out the word. It came out much like a large pill went down one's throat—with difficulty. His fists tightened and she felt another wave of fear come over her. "I can't fathom this!" She wailed and covered her face but did not bury it in her arms as she did before.

Another chill touched her cheek. She jumped. "You can, Mina." She shook her head but said nothing. "_I believe in you_."

"But why?"

She asked her question in a tragically sweet voice. Her wide eyes shimmered with tears but they implored him for an explanation not just of their situation but of her entire life. It nearly broke his heart to see her that way—so torn and lost. She was the perfect collision of Elizabeth and Wilhelmina and it made it hard to bear for him. Sure, he watched her grow, but with each day it hit him harder and harder. He was not meant to be the guardian angel of a child. He was an immortal warlord prince of Romania and a vampire; he was certain of only two things in the meaning of their existence. There were only two simple words to answer all her questions; blood and love.

"Because I love you." That was _not_ what he wanted to say. He tried to reprimand himself but started to ramble. "Forgive me, there is no depths to what I would do for you. After Eliza died…" He swallowed visibly. "_I gave up everything just to find you. I have to be with you to live—to breathe_."

"_You're taking over me_." She cut in and he froze. Backing away from her he looked between them. He hadn't thought he possessed her. He did not want to possess her any time soon if it tormented her so.

"I'm sorry?" He still looked frantically and she let out a giggle. It made him even more confused.

"It is a song from a band I like." This only confused him more. "You've been here all this time and haven't heard it? You near recited the words to one of their songs." Her explanation still befuddled him. He wracked his brain for what band or song she could be thinking of but he came up short. She listened to so much music…

"I must confess that I do not always pay attention to your music and motion picture preferences." He told her, looking down at his hands.

"I never thought I would see the almighty Dracula embarrassed." He was about to glare but saw her smiling. She was teasing him and he was falling right into it. He let low chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"It is an emotion saved for only your eyes, my love."

She pulled away from him. "Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Well, I just don't think—if you're just in my head—with Vlad and all…" It was her turn to be bashful and Dracula was amused by it.

"You mean to tell me I am not to call you 'my love' because of your infatuation with the boy?" Mina could only nod. Dracula offered his hand to her. She stared at it like she never saw the action before. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you." Taking this into consideration she decided to accept his hand. Somehow he was solid enough to help her off the bed so she stood with him. Her eyes were level with his sternum and she could feel the cold radiating off of him rather than the warmth of a living body.

She could remember reading somewhere that one of the ways ghosts reveal themselves is by scents. Somehow they would change the smells around them. Say, they died in a fire and so they were followed by the scent of smoke. Dracula wasn't a normal ghost, though. It wasn't an object or building that was haunted—it was her.

Being so close to him she could smell him easily. The flavor was strange and hard for her to place but she knew it from somewhere. Dracula was looking down at her with his eyes sparkling silver and his dark hair resembling Vlad's too much for her to think straight. He smelled like Vlad only older, more distant, and more original. She could remember courting him as Elizabeth and dancing with him as Wilhelmina. She could remember a time when his aroma was the only thing she needed. Perhaps that's why Vlad was so comforting to her.

Dracula squeezed her hand. Meeting his eyes she found them melting with affection and not steely with blocked carelessness. "You do love me."

The words shocked her as much as him. He blinked and was ready to deny it when he smiled. She could never before imagine Dracula smiling but now she saw that it suited him. His smirks were professional, his grins were wicked, and his frowns were fearsome. But his smile made him look human, real, and happy. It was endearing. Gone was the murderous vampire she both admired and feared in novels and movies.

He brought her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers. "I do."

"How come I got your blood from Wilhelmina if I'm not related to her?" The shift in topic seemed to ease him back to normal and he used her hand still trapped with his to bring her around the bed.

"Now, _that_, I have absolutely no clue about." Mina laughed outright.

"At least you're honest!" Dracula smirked but she could see the smile itching to show through. "Do you at least know what's so special about your blood?"

"Our blood." He corrected.

"Yes, our blood. Casimir, Dorian, and everyone else seem to think it's some big deal and I just don't get it. You must know something about it. I mean, sure, you did some questionable things in your life and Elysian existence but that hardly seems like a good reason for everyone to treat me like some rare oddity."

"You are unequivocally correct." Dracula moved to sit on the settee that was kept to the right of her bed.

She waited for him to explain but he didn't. With her hands at her hips she stood in front of him. "Am I not to know?" Dracula chuckled at her quick frustration. "If I can't keep things from you, you shouldn't be able to hide stuff from me."

"If you were to shut that pretty loud mouth of yours, I would."

The room filled with his laughter when he received a glare along with the asked-for silence.

"It is quite simple, really. Our blood is the original blood." He didn't look at her as he said that, keeping his eyes surfacing the room or on himself. He was fixing his clothes in the first half and Mina wondered for a moment if those were the clothes he died in. Near the end, he was draping his arm across the back of the settee and flashing a grin.

"Original blood?"

Dracula bobbed his head.

"Like the original vampire blood?" She got another confirmation. "So are you trying to tell me that you are the first vampire? I'm supposed to believe you're older than the Council of Elders? And Em?"

"No, my love." She scoffed and was about to reprimand him for not telling her what she asked for. Before she could though, he vanished in a puff of black mist and appeared behind her at the food of the bed again. "The vampire you describe would be my maker. My brother and I only inherited his blood during our transformation."

"And where is your maker now?"

Dracula shrugged. "The last I saw of him was a year after my turn. He left me in Casimir's care."

"Does that make you related to Em?"

"No." From his snap and narrowed eyes she assumed he took that as an insult. She couldn't blame him for not liking Em.

"If she is believed to be the oldest vampire I just assumed…" Dracula leaned on her bedpost and she took the seat before her desk. It was right across from her bed and functioned as her dress-up counter and her work desk. "Who is your maker then? I think I should know the history of your lineage."

Dracula evaluated her but spoke to cover up his stare. "I know the McMillan's haven't raised you with the Bible but you are aware of it, yes?" It was hardly a question and she knew that he didn't really need an answer. "The first demon mentioned to have a fetish for blood was Lilith. This would have made her the first vampire after she turned her back on Adam and the whole Garden of Eden."

"So Lilith is your maker?"

"Not quite." Dracula crossed his arms and sighed. "It is thought that she survived at least up to the death of Christ."

"Now she's dead?"

"Assumedly, yes. That is what my maker told us. Before her true death she changed another and it is he who is my maker. She wanted to choose someone who suffered from God as she felt she did. By then, Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ. Feeling remorse for the actions of his greed he tried to hang himself. God refused to allow him to die, believing he should be immortal to suffer his guilt for eternity."

"Please don't say you're secretly Judas going by the name Dracula like that movie that had Gerard Butler in it. Because if that's what really went down I think I'd rather not be bound to you."

It was meant to be humorous the way she shook her arms and head like she was shaking off a spider. When she met his eyes again he didn't seem to find it as silly as she thought it was. He understood it, but she wanted answers and he did not want her to forget a word of the explanation.

"Lilith was a blood-sucking demon, once human. Not technically a vampire but close in a strict sense. When she came across Judas—human, immortal, greedy, and disloyal—she chose to add to his curse with promises that it will help him pass eternity. That was when Judas was made a vampire; she simply changed him just as D'Ablo changed you. This made him the first vampire to not be a demon and also gave our kind our weaknesses." Mina slowly nodded as she processed it all. "This is why it is controversial about who exactly was the first of our kind: Lilith or Judas."

"And the weaknesses? How did that come about?"

"The tree that Judas tried to hang himself by inspired the use of stakes. His partiality to his neck made beheading one of our fragile spots. He betrayed Christ for silver coins and thus our allergy to silver."

"But we aren't allergic to silver. Only garlic and sunlight."

"Sunlight was Lilith's curse. We were once weakened by silver but the younger vampires have developed an immunity to it." Mina accepted that and Dracula cleared his throat and went on. "Skip ahead several centuries and Judas found our Casimir. Only about a lifetime after his turn they came across my Eliza alone in our castle. Judas turned me after I lost her. Lilith's blood, Judas's blood, the Original blood is what makes us so rare. My brother and I are the only offspring of Judas. Though, at the time, he went by Jude."

"Well, I heard about Jude I just didn't think he would be Judas. They seemed like two completely different people." Mina looked off to the side.

"Jude changed over time from the man who betrayed Christ. He hasn't been seen since he left my brother and I."

"Which means Elysia believes him dead as well." Mina and Dracula nodded their heads simultaneously before she spun around on her chair to face her desk. With her elbows resting on the fine wood and her head being supported by her hands, she groaned. "So it's like I'm from the first vampire family. All other vampires are…related to me—to us?"

"Does that clear up any confusions?"

"Not all of them." She lifted her head. Dracula was behind her when she looked over her shoulder but he wasn't in the mirror ahead of her. "What does it all have to do with me?"

Mina could feel him running his hands over her shoulders. In the mirror she could see he was toying with her necklace and adjusting her hair to fall behind her back. Again she could smell his closeness and his lips at her ear. "You are meant to change the fate of Elysia. For that, your own fate had to be set out right down to the origin of your blood."

"What do you mean 'change the fate of Elysia'?" She fought the shivers she got from his breath at her ear. "I'm not the Pravus and other than this blood thing I don't see how I'm important at all."

Dracula chuckled and instantly she was wary of him again. "Do you trust me, Mina?"

Now that got her mind churning. Did she trust him? He possessed her and that still scared her out of her wits. But he told her every moment he could since then that it was a mistake he would never make again. He was drunk on his new power and promised her he would only exercise it if there were a need to.

If she were trapped in an endless black void for centuries and come back just to haunt a baby, would she have acted the same? As herself, probably not. But seeing as the man in question was Vlad Dracula Tepes III the Impaler she could somewhat understand.

Just because she understood did not mean it was acceptable. He has practically begged her forgiveness and she still hasn't forgiven him and that in itself is weird for her.

He was also a ruthless murderer. To protect his religion and country, the other half of her mind tried to tell her. He was a cold-hearted killer whose only soft spot seemed to be for her. So that changed things, didn't it? "Mina?" He asked again, his voice soft in her ear.

"Yes."

Dracula smirked at her answer. "Good. You will have to for our plans to be carried out successfully."

"What plans?" She turned her head to face him. Since he was still standing behind her it made him seem far taller than he already was. The sweet Dracula she was learning to trust was gone and the mean one returned. If it were possible his entire being radiated of evil and she knew that's what he wanted. Whatever his plans were, she doubted they were truly evil.

He tenderly pushed her cheek so she was looking into the mirror again. And like always, he wasn't there. As she stared at her reflection she could just barely, faintly, see a resemblance of a washed-out form that could have been him.

That wasn't what nerved her. Being able to see ghosts in mirrors in one thing. Seeing that same ghost's behavior, thoughts, looks, and very existence starting to grown on you…now that was terrifying. Mina hated to admit it but her skin was closer akin to his. Her expressions mimicked his. Everything right down to the way he held himself above all other vampires was started to show in herself. She was becoming more like him.

"We have so much ahead of us."

_Creeped out yet?_

_Mina is. _

_Yeah, I can totally see why this should be in TAAT…but it won't be. I always wanted it to be but honestly Mina is already acceptant of Dracula's blood so it would be pointless to have this in randomly. _

_There are some random allusions to TrueBlood and Dracula 2000 if you can catch 'em! Thought they'd be good for a laugh! ;)_

_Review?_

_Up next:_

_Broken_


	15. Broken

_**Broken**_

_**By Seether **_

_**Feat. Amy Lee**_

_**JUST AN FYI:**_

_**For years readers have been trying to tell me that this song is good for Vlad and Mina. I love Amy Lee and the song is good but it was never a favorite. Then, in CoVT, Snow and Vlad dance to this song and it sort of becomes 'their song'. I've always associated 'Broken' with Snow and Vlad, never Mina. So this request was hard for me to fulfill…but I hope I did well!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**I don't own anything bla bla bla.**_

_I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh. I want to hold you high and steal your pain away._

There was only one thing Vlad actually liked about school and that was Mina. They had homeroom and all but two classes together. She made him feel normal. They could laugh and enjoy each other's company as long as she did not go too close to him. Yet it was almost endearing when she showed her concern about why he was suddenly put off his meal. Whenever she offered to take it for him he refused, often receiving a suspicious look. After that she would always look at him with a sad, pleading look, one that made his stomach churn. There was not a single moment since Halloween where he could escape his daydreams about telling her that he was a vampire. But he couldn't.

_I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well. I want to hold you high and steal your pain._

Vlad and Henry were walking down the steps of Bathory Junior High on their last day of school when Mina caught up to them. She tackled them both, tossing her arms over their shoulders with a laugh at their shocked yelps. Without much more encouragement she lifted her camera and snapped a picture. The three of them, as if on cue, make faces at the camera as it flashed. Henry puffed his cheeks full of air. Vlad stretched his mouth at an odd angle and widened his eyes dramatically. Mina crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. Whenever Vlad saw the picture, now framed on his wall, he couldn't help but smile. It was the strongest, most instantaneous burst of happiness ever captured of him. And he could never forget that it was because of Mina that he felt that way.

_Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome. I don't feel right when you're gone away. You've gone away. You don't feel me anymore._

She missed him while he was in Siberia. No matter how upset she was about the kiss she witness between him and Meredith, she couldn't stop the burst of joy she felt when she saw him. Those days without him were hallow and strange. Something inside her felt wrong like a steady ache that plagued her. The tugging she felt always dragging her in his direction was gone and without it she felt lost.

_The worse is over now and we can breathe again I wanna hold you high and steal my pain away. There's so much left to learn and no one left to fight. I wanna hold your high and steal your pain._

They were both vampires now. She confessed her love to him. There was nothing else for them to hide. D'Ablo vanished into the shadows and Joss was long gone. It was still hard for Vlad to look at her. Vampirism suited her but it felt morally wrong for him to enjoy it. Rather than focusing on the eternal blood and suffering that he subjected her to he found himself constantly remembering three small words whispered in the darkness. I love you.

_Cause I'm broken when I'm open and I don't feel like I am strong enough cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome and I don't feel right when you're gone away._

There's always a tomorrow. It was something humans said to brush off what they could not manage that day. But for a vampire it held a deeper meaning. For Mina it was a haunting premonition. She had Henry, Lucy, Jonathan, Nelly, Amelia, and Alice to talk to about her heartache. But sooner or later they will die and she will be left alone…with Vlad. Everyday brings new pain and it was scary to think that it was never going to end. A pessimist would tell her that eternal agony was a curse. But Mina liked to muse that she was an optimist. For her, a never-ending love with Vlad was a blessing. One that will only die when she does.

_Cause I'm broken when I'm open and I don't feel like I am strong enough. Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome. And I don't feel right when you're gone away._

Their restraint broke the moment their lips touched for the first time. Mina's legs felt weak and she clung to him for support. Vlad felt his insides causing mayhem as they swam with thoughts of Mina. It quickly built from a tender brush into a passionate, needy movement. For the first time since they met they felt complete. Nothing was more necessary than the other. Every minor twinge of hurt was caressed away as they moved against each other. They parted when Otis entered and were both noticeably aware of the lonely emotions as they rushed back into them.

_Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome and I don't feel right when you're gone…gone away. You don't feel me here anymore._

Meredith was waiting for Vlad when they returned to Bathory. He went right to her as Mina watched from Otis's car. It was wrong to walk away from Mina. The entire walk from the car to his porch felt like an act, a lie. He could almost sense her sadness in his bones. Vlad looked back at Mina once before reaching Meredith, and noticed that she looked broken. Then before he could react Meredith was in his arms. Her hope was crushed when he hugged Meredith back. The next time he turned to see her; a glare was forming in her eyes. The longer he stared the more he saw her emotions turn from loss and sadness into pure and utter betrayal. Whatever built up between them in Siberia was fully and completely broken.

_**So…?**_

_**Yeah, I know, it sucks.**_

_**ANYWAY…..**_

_**Here's the list for the next few updates…**_

_**It Was You, when Mina discovers she's crushing on Vlad, for BrianaAmarysJohannaLilyPotte r.**_

_**VladxMinaxDracula**_

_**What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts for Azyvli.**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Never Alone by Barlow Girl for me.**_

_**DraculaxMina**_

_**All I Ever Wanted by Airborne Toxic Event **_

_**For Nolanschmitz5**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson**_

_**PARODY!**_

_**For Nolanschmitz5**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Glad You Came by The Wanted**_

_**For Nolanschmitz5**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Into Your Arms by The Maine for my friend Smitty (you know her as Alice) but this songfic can NOT be posted until I am completely done with TAAT. So be patient.**_

_**VladxMina**_


	16. It Was You

_**It Was You**_

_**Mina's general thought process as she comes to the realization **_

_**that she is hardcore crushing on Vlad. **_

_**This takes place about halfway through the first book, **_

_**Chapter seven to be specific. **_

_**This is for BrianaAmarysJohannaLilyPotte r**_

_**I hope you like the Harry Potter note at the end. **_

Lying on her bed drifting in her dreams was Mina Elizabeth Lovett. Her breathing was shallow and her lips tickled with a smile. She was unconsciously snuggled up to the vampire teddy bear featured in _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. Down the hall two boys—one drudge and one vampire—sat playing their final round of video games before bed.

Overlooking the human girl one could not possibly guess her fate. The black tresses of her hair would be streaked with red. Her lips would be stained with blood. In all probability she would not be sleeping so early in the night, either. No one, not a soul, could see the blood that was surging through her body even then or its importance.

The bloodline of Slayers and the bloodline of Dracula were both forever mixed and churning in this child's veins. It would split her apart, dissolve the purity of her human blood and dishonor the glory of her vampire blood.

The closest anyone has ever gotten to realize this anomaly was when the slayer of her generation was being chosen. Every child's blood was tested for the gene. Her blood held some sort of strange difference to the other children of McMillan blood. The curiosity was dropped when Joss was named as the future slayer. Yet even as far back as her third birthday her uncle Abraham knew that there was something very different about Mina.

Returning to the scene of her slumber, it is to be remembered that at this time she was human and held no knowledge of vampires. Taking a peek into her dreams one would think them the fantasies of any young girl.

Mina thought she was merely friends with Vladimir Tod. He was, after all, the best friend of her cousin. She could not understand why her chest hurt at the sight of him. Nor was it easy for her to cope with the tugging in her stomach, the pounding in her eardrums, the weakness in her limps, the abandonment of her thoughts, and her absence of words. To her they made no sense yet it was clear to many adults what was wrong with her.

She had a crush on Vladimir Tod and it was slowly rising into something more than just that. All the while poor Vlad is completely clueless.

How did she come about this realization is an amusing story to be sure. Of course there is the obvious sensations listed above but she was unaware of just how those strong feelings affected her. She knew she felt something for him. She knew that he could always make her blush and that something was different ever since they met. Yet this all seemed mixed and muddled in her mind.

No. What really made Mina figure out her crush on Vlad was not her climaxing emotion but instead it was a dream. Indeed. A dream.

Mina was never able to control her own actions when dreaming until she became a vampire. Even then it took a great deal of time for that to develop. So when Mina first had the dream of a tall, shadowed man with dark hair, pale skin, and dark eyes it was interesting to say the least. Her first dream featuring this man was not when she was thirteen, as many would believe but really when she was a small child.

She would often have nightmares or vivid dreams and run off to tell her Uncle Abraham about them. He found the dreams to be disturbing for a child her age and they were a listed reason as to why the two bickered often. After that they vanished for a time until finally she met Vladimir Tod…and they began again.

This shadowed man was always the main focal point of these dreams. He was well above six feet tall with a cool air and darkness all about him. In her childhood he would talk to her, comfort her, sing to her, and play with her. As the years went on she gathered more facts about him. His face was strikingly similar to Vlad's. His eyes were a grey speckled with green that would flash metallic silver in the moonlight. The setting was always at night. He held a faint accent. His attire varied from a dress suit, black pants with an old-fashioned cotton shirt, or that with a waistcoat added. He played piano. Yet the last fact she is to this day unsure of if she knew as a child; he was a vampire.

The one and only dream she had from the year she met Vlad was of that man. She didn't remember her childhood ones and so when she saw him again she did not recognize him. His resemblance to Vlad and the hazy fog of sleep made her believe it was the boy she knew.

Instead of the innocent, nearly fatherly, behavior he showed when she was small he was clearly treating her as an adult. He was holding her and caressing her as a lover would. She was not aware that he was an adult man or that she was an adult woman.

His kisses trailed down her neck to elicit small gasps from her dream-body. When reaching his desired spot of her flesh she felt the chill of his intake of breathe before the pinpoint prick of pain announced that his fangs were seeping into her skin. She tried not to think too long on the blood that was pooling quickly from her small wounds even as it slid past her sternum in a tiny red river. Instead she thought of the man savoring her blood and her love for him.

It was a plethora of emotions she never felt except in the presence of one other person. It started in her chest where a flutter became an incessant pounding. With each pulse the blood gushed from her throat and the warmth in her heart spread out to her every extremity. She was drawn to this man and even her body pressed to his was not enough to satisfy that urge. It burned her through and through so she was sure there was nothing left of her but a churning, loving, hollow shell.

She was in love with the shadow man.

Nothing she ever felt before was even close to this. Yet what she felt for Vladimir Tod was like a small budding blossom that would eventually grow into the flower of love she had for the shadow man.

Mina woke up with a start from the serene scene. The clock was smacked into silence before she got up to ready herself for school.

She always thought dreams expressed many different parts of ones person and so she was dwelling deeply on her recent fantasy. The man was a vampire she knew that from how he drank her blood. His exact visage was harder to place, though, and she was changed and just barely brushing the knots from her hair when his image became clear enough for her to identify him.

The shadow man was older than Vlad but that did not dwindle their likeliness. She had seen photos of Tomas Tod, the father of Vladimir Tod, many times before to know what Vlad would grow up to look exactly like his father. The shadowed man looks very similar to Tomas. Had Tomas styled his hair back and away from his face they could be the exact same person.

Her feelings for this mystery man lead her to think about where she could have felt correspondingly. It was at that moment, for the first time, that Mina realized that she liked Vlad more than just a friend.

No friend could make her as giddy as he could. No friend was as impossible to detach from as he was. No friend could draw out shyness, happiness, or even jealousy like him.

When she went downstairs for breakfast and remembered that he had stayed the night with Henry she was awkward to say the least. She had no idea how to act around him. She liked him…but did he like her back? Now isn't that always the question? She was unsure if she should let him know about her infatuation or keep it hidden. He was a friend, after all, and were things to go sour she would still have to be around him since he is best friends with her cousin. There were many pros and cons and so she decided to remain silent until she had a more reliable grasp on her new realization.

As anyone who ever met Mina Lovett could attest to, she was horrid at keeping her admiration for him a secret. He was the only one who couldn't see it and even he knew that she cared for him deeply. He only mistook it. And were those people present as the years dragged on they could also say that her enamor intensified until she was desperately in love with him.

By the time that she was certain of her love the events leading to her vampirism were piecing together. A month, maybe two, went by until her chance to put a literal meaning to 'eternal love' came about. She was a vampire and now Vlad and her had nothing to hide.

With each passing day of being a vampire her Dracula blood became stronger. The more plasma she ingested fueled her connection to the coven of a man long dead.

His ghost was always there, always hovering, always watching, and always comforting. Always. Dracula was bound to Mina from the moment of her birth. Not even his little protégé could see him once she rose into her speaking years. There were times when she was an infant where he would be blessed with making Mina smile or laughing. He could even remember calming her from a crying fit before either her mother or father could come gather her in the night. There were a handful of times where he saw her reaching her baby arms out towards him.

He always thought that were she turned into a vampire she would instantly be able to see him since that was all he failed to do for Wilhelmina. To say he was disappointed when she awoke a newborn vampire and still looked right through him was an understatement. He was crushed.

Was this torment due to him for all the innocents he killed in blood lust? Was the god he forsaken for Elizabeth laughing at him?

When Mina came across his living brother, Casimir, she was finally aware of her reincarnations and the dreams started up again. He began talking to her, spending countless hours chatting with her. He was happier than he had been in centuries because he was able to communicate with someone. Yet he could sense she was becoming more like him and it frustrated him that she could still not see him when awake. After so long he was getting more bothered with each day.

Until finally, one cold night in New York brought Dracula the opportunity he so longed for, to be seen. Were he asked he could give no answer as to why Fate chose that night but he could say that he was too elated to think properly.

Not only was Mina able to see him at last but also he was able to possess her. He was able to use her body so he could feel again. There was hardly a ghost in the world that would not jump at that chance, and Dracula did just that. He frightened her. So much so that she was horrified to look at him…that caused a problem since she could now see him all the time.

It was around this time that Mina figured out that her dreams were always about him. The shadowed man was none other than Vladimir Dracula and she was once deeply in love with him. That passion still lingered but was focused solely on Vladimir Tod. He was hurt, yes, by this development but he had seen it coming considering he was there when they met.

That did not stop Mina from confronting Dracula about it.

"It was you," she said, "it was always you." Their link let him know what it was she meant and he merely nodded. "All this time I thought you were Vlad. But it was you. It was never him." Suddenly her eyes were brimming with tears. "It was you," she repeated and he got up to embrace her. "You never left me."

Dracula curled his forefinger under her chin, caught her eyes, and whispered so softly that the tears trembled in her eyes. "Always."

_**So…?**_

_**Yeah, I did use a tad bit of a Harry Potter allusion, with the "Always". I really love that word and it's story with Lily and Snape. So, I couldn't resist. Plus, I know the story was originally meant to be about how Mina fell in love with Vlad and it turned out being mostly about her love for Dracula. But really…how different are the two?**_

_**ANYWAY…..**_

_**Here's the list for the next few updates…**_

_**What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts for Azyvli.**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Never Alone by Barlow Girl for me.**_

_**DraculaxMina**_

_**All I Ever Wanted by Airborne Toxic Event **_

_**For Nolanschmitz5**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Even In Death by Evanescence for me.**_

_**DraculaxMina**_

_**I Don't Think That I Love You by Hoobastank.**_

_**VladxMina**_

_**Into Your Arms by The Maine for my friend Smitty (you know her as Alice) but this songfic can NOT be posted until I am completely done with TAAT. So be patient.**_

_**VladxMina**_


End file.
